


The Showdown

by Raiadel



Series: Jaesa's Awakening [7]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: Corellia, Dark Council confrontation, Established Relationship, F/M, Force Bond (Star Wars), Korriban, Lightsaber Battles, can you blame them?, no one believes a sith telling the truth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-08
Updated: 2017-05-28
Packaged: 2018-10-29 11:28:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 21,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10853052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raiadel/pseuds/Raiadel
Summary: The battle for Corellia is on. Here lies what remains of Baras' power base.In other news, the final showdown approaches.





	1. Preparation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Whoa, it has been way too long since I updated. For some reason this chapter just snagged on certain parts and didn’t want to come out, but I think I fixed it up pretty well.
> 
> Ok, I lied. I said this would be the last bit, but alas, that was not to be. Predictably, this chapter got away from me…sigh. Plus there’s just a lot of stuff happening.

 

_“Protect Darth Vowrawn at all costs and aid his attempts to undermine our enemy.”_

…

Corellia was a nightmare devastation zone.

What used to be a proud city with towering buildings was now bombed to the ground with mountains of rubble and flickering fires dotting the landscape. Though most of the bodies had been cleaned up, nothing could remove the deep bloodstains that seemed to stripe every available surface. Even the air tasted heavy with ash and smoke and ripe with fear and desperation. Jaesa had been accompanying Khryden for a while now, but she had never been this close to a warzone of this intensity. The Jedi had shielded her from the galaxy’s more dangerous corners and even the chaos on Belsavis was nothing compared to this. Most windows and doors were boarded off with some being partially or completely covered by piles of wreckage from parts of the buildings. The few Imperial soldiers they passed on their way to Vowrawn’s hideout were dusty and tired, and the majority of them sported injuries. Of course, none of this scared Jaesa, but the scene was quite a change from what she was used to. She tried not to stare too much at everything as they walked by, but everything fascinated her. And it wasn’t just because this was all new to her.

There was a certain beauty in the chaos that surrounded her. The fires that consumed apartments glowed brightly and refused to be extinguished. The black streaks burned into the sides of rubble and on the streets from blaster bolts reminded her of scars. And the wreckage piled at every corner supported half-destroyed buildings and filled in deep craters from bombs. It was alluring.

A light touch to her shoulder brought her from her reverie and she glanced up at Khryden. His face was carefully blank, but his eyes expressed the attentiveness that only came when he sensed a battle happening in the near future. “We’re here.”

The thundering sound of landing ship echoed above them and she craned her neck backwards in an attempt to locate it. “This is the hangar where the first assassin will land?”

Khryden’s eyes scraped the sky. “Will, or has already. Come on, we don’t have much time if we want to head him off.”

The elevator dinged as the capsule reached the top of the landing pad and the doors slid open. Khryden and Jaesa strode out, tense and ready for action. A droid was exiting the ship with long strides, not slowing a bit until he was face to face with the two Sith.

The droid whirred, a red light blinking on its head. “Sith,” it acknowledged. “Identify yourself.”

Khryden’s face twisted into a disdainful grimace as he regarded the machine. “Really? Baras sent a droid? And when he knew I was coming. I’m almost insulted.”

The droid sputtered angrily. “You’re insulted? I’ll have you know that I am the top in my line of assassination droids who proudly serve the Empire in all ways—”

“Master.” Jaesa cut him off, disregarding the droid’s prideful words and casting a quick scolding glance at Khryden. “Don’t play with your food. It’s not polite and we have places to be.”

“But it’s not even an HK!” he protested. “Can’t I—”

Jaesa fixed him with a look.

Khryden pouted childishly, but grabbed his lightsabers. “Fine. Take _all_ my fun away, why don’t you. I’ll train you extra hard tonight to make up for it.”

“As long as it’s with you, I can handle it.” She smirked, wrapping her hands around her own lightsaber hilt.

“ _Not even an HK—_?!” Jaesa didn’t know if she had ever heard a droid sound so offended. The assassin’s metallic voice darkened and it snatched the blaster rifle from its back. “Outright hostility detected. Target locked.”

Khryden shot her a sly glance as they whirled into action and made quick work of the droid. “Then maybe I’ll have to ramp up the difficulty.”

She grunted as she spun to avoid a blaster shot and stabbed the droid through its midsection as Khryden lopped off its head. “Anything as long as it doesn’t involve droids. I don’t get _any_ satisfaction from this and it’s frankly wearing down my patience.”

Because Corellia was such a devastated warzone, both sides had taken to using droids as foot soldiers to patrol through the streets and Jaesa was getting sick of not seeing any blood as a reward for her hard work. The confirmation of the kill was half the fun. Take that away, and victory did not taste as sweet as it used to.

Khryden merely laughed as he extinguished his sabers and clipped them to his belt. “You’ll have your chance for bloodshed soon enough. For now, there are two more assassins to eliminate.”

She slapped the button to open the elevator with a little more vigor than strictly required. Khryden didn’t comment, but simply raised an eyebrow as they stepped inside. She twisted her mouth into a frown, resisting the urge to scream her frustration. What she wouldn’t give for assassins to jump them as soon as they exited the elevator. At least then she could work out some of her irritation. So wrapped up was she in choreographing the imaginary fight in her head that she jumped when Khryden’s hand landed on her shoulder. She looked up with a scowl, knowing what he was going to say.

A ghost of a smile quirked his lip corners. “Save it for someone who deserves it.”

“I’m sick of seeing nothing but sparks pour from my enemy’s flesh,” she sniffed. “The next droid that crosses my path is going to be rubble in a matter of seconds. And I’m _not_ going to enjoy it.”

The doors slid open and she tensed unconsciously, preparing for the ambush she had orchestrated in her head. Khryden felt her twitch, but tugged on her shoulder. With a resigned sigh, she followed him outside to where their speeders were hidden a block away as he consulted his datapad.

“The next landing pad isn’t too far from here.” He shut off the screen and tucked the datapad into its pouch on his belt before turning to Jaesa with a mischievous smile. “Race me?”

That was all it took to redirect her frustrated energy to fueling her competitive spirit and pouring adrenaline into her veins. She leapt on her speeder, gunning the engine as soon as her butt hit the seat. “You’re on!”

\--=+=--

The second they approached the second landing zone after parking their speeders a ways away, Khryden was plainly on edge. It only took a moment for Jaesa to recognize it, especially when he stopped in his tracks before stepping on the elevator. She paused, halfway in, and held out a hand to stop the doors from closing.

“I think we should spilt up,” he offered. “There are two assassins left, and two of us. We could cover more ground.”

Jaesa immediately shook her head. “Bad idea. We don’t know what kind of reinforcements will come with the next assassin. Better to stick together. We’re more powerful that way.”

“I don’t know…” He scratched his chin thoughtfully. “I have a bad feeling about this. Time is of the essence.”

She reached out and gripped his forearm, tugging him toward the elevator. “Then let’s hurry! The faster we get up to that landing pad, the faster we can stop the third assassin. I have a bad feeling if we split up.”

A frown crossed his brow, but he allowed himself to be pulled into the chamber. “Very well,” he mumbled as Jaesa closed the doors. “We just need to wrap this up quick.”

She turned to face him with a concerned look as Khryden leaned his back casually against the wall, but there was a stiffness to his form. But try as she might, she couldn’t discern exactly what had him so worried. Sure, he had expressed his apprehension, but there was something else underlying that uneasiness. Something else that occupied his mind.

Jaesa shook her head as the doors slid open to reveal the landing pad and…who was that? Slick and overconfident were the two words that came first to her mind. She very nearly wrinkled her nose at the slimy expression on his face. There was something off about him that she couldn’t quite…

“SIS, aren’t you.” Khryden’s face was blank, but his eyes blazed at the insult of the man’s presence. It wasn’t a question.

The agent grinned, hooking his thumbs in his belt. “A welcoming committee? Heh. Some days you just can’t land secretly on a planet. Even on a secret landing strip.”

“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll get back in your ship and forget about your assignment,” the Emperor’s Wrath advised. “This is your only warning.”

The sleaze had the nerve to laugh. “If you know who sent me, then you know that would be no good for me.”

“I’m giving you one chance. You should—”

“I know who you are,” the agent interrupted him. “You’re the apprentice Darth Baras thought he’d killed. Marvelous.” A smile quirked his lips and he folded his arms. “I’ve studied you. Followed your exploits across the galaxy. You’re a personal hero of mine.”

“Reeeaallly.” The sheer amount of sarcasm and ‘ _don’t-waste-my-time’_ in Khryden’s voice was astounding. “I didn’t know I had admirers.”

The SIS agent nodded sagely. “Oh, yeah. In my profession, you’re well known. But…” he tapped a singular finger against his chin thoughtfully, “…I’m somewhat obsessed, I admit.”

Jaesa’s protective (and slightly jealous) instinct flared. That man was getting on her nerves. One wrong word and she’d gut him before he could make a move. The agent seemed to know that, however, and kept his tone light and non-confrontational. 

“I heard of you when you killed Lord Grathan’s son on Drummund Kaas. Did you know that not one, not two, but _three_ different Sith hired me to do that? Now I don’t pretend to know your Sith culture all that well, but from what I gather, garnering that kind of attention as an apprentice is a pretty impressive thing.” The agent began to slowly pace as if he didn’t have a care in the world. “Then you took out Nomen Karr and recruited his apprentice. Who is quite beautiful and talented, if I recall. Quite a catch.”

The sleazebag sent a wink in her direction and Jaesa very nearly lost control during the powerful surge of fury that abruptly flooded her. She managed to hold herself back—barely—and tempered her rage, but then noticed that not all of that overwhelming anger she felt was coming from her.  A good deal of it was coming through the bond. One quick check told her that Khryden contained his ire in a tight ball just beneath the surface and was inches from shoving a lightsaber through the SIS agent’s lying throat.

“And that’s not even mentioning Admiral Monk, the War Trust, and countless Jedi,” the agent continued, oblivious to their internal battles. “Good stuff. Quite impressive, like I’ve said.”

The Wrath had finally had it and swooped in, readying his verbal claws. “You know me so well, but your intel forgot to cover one thing.” He took a threatening step forward.

The change to the atmosphere was instantaneous. Gone was the smooth, relaxed tone. The agent was instantly on guard, his hand reaching for his blaster. “And what might that be?”

“I absolutely _abhor_ empty praise.”

Khryden struck instantly, giving the agent no time to respond. He flicked his sabers from his belt and turned them on in one smooth movement, instantly flowing into a strike. The SIS agent threw himself backwards, barely avoiding the two sabers as they sliced the air inches from his nose. He was pretty good, Jaesa had to admit, especially for being Force-blind. But all the luck and skill in the world wouldn’t stop a lightsaber through your stomach. Khryden had this one taken care of, so she took advantage of the moment and pressed the button to call the elevator. A scream sounded behind her and was abruptly cut off, but she didn’t move to turn around. The doors opened the moment Khryden returned to her side and they entered the elevator in silence. With the overbearing feel of anger gone from the two of them, it was simple for Jaesa to sense his returning feelings of unease. She frowned, debating internally for a moment whether or not to address it, but ultimately gave in to her curiosity.

“All right, spill.” She crossed her arms, meeting his questioning gaze stubbornly. “What’s got you so worried?”

He looked away, gaze tracing the lights on the control panel. “I don’t know. I just have a bad feeling. Something’s wrong.”

Before she could say anything in return, his comm rang. Scowling slightly, he fished it from his belt and flipped it on. Instantly, the tiny blue figure of a member of the Hand appeared.

“Wrath,” the figure greeted tonelessly. “I am Servant Eleven of the Hand. I mark your position. Your third target arrived earlier than expected.”

Khryden bit back a curse. Of course, he knew, something had to go wrong. After all, no plan worked perfectly. But something of such importance? How was this overlooked? Mindful of his recent slip up with Servants One and Two, however, he stayed relatively silent. “Then I will hunt down the third assassin. Where is he?”

Servant Eleven’s voice saddened just a touch. “I tracked his landing. Then I lost visual surveillance.”

Jaesa felt the surge of desperate annoyance. The Hand was making their job that much more difficult.

Eleven extended a diplomatic hand. “My primary purpose was a success, though. I have located Darth Vowrawn’s secret headquarters. Coordinate have been uploaded to you.”

A tiny notification signal popped up on the holocommunicator’s display and Khryden gave a short nod to show that he received it.

“He is operating deep within hostile territory.” Eleven clasped her hands in front of her. “A massive tower in the heart of Incorporation Island. All Republic controlled.” She paused. “Very impressive.”

Irritation spiked through Khryden once again, this time accompanied by a parallel one from Jaesa. Impressive, sure, but this just made their mission twice as treacherous. Before, they only had to worry about the occasional Republic patrol. But now the Hand wanted them to infiltrate Incorporation Island, a virtual Republic stronghold. It was the heart of their operations and Vowrawn was _there_? The time for being impressed was later, not now.

“The man is daring,” The Wrath ground out. “I’ll give him that. Though perhaps not the smartest move.”

The Servant waved her hand as if dismissing the words. “He orchestrates the war with the Republic right under their very noses, yes, but if I was able to find him, then that means Baras’ last assassin could too.”

Khryden opened his mouth, but was quickly cut off by Eleven.

“Hold,” she ordered, and touched her hand to her temple, averting her gaze. “Yes, I will convey it. Eleven out.” Raising her hooded gaze to Khryden once more, she stood stock still. “Servant Two has spoken to me. He says to be ready for suspicion.”

Jaesa winced. Great. Not only will they be in the middle of enemy territory chasing after an invisible assassin, but Vowrawn might not even believe their true purpose. What if he ordered his men to attack them?

“What does Servant Two mean by _suspicion_?” Apparently Khryden wasn’t fully convinced either.

“Darth Vowrawn will be hard to convince,” Eleven said simply. “You should prepare for battle.”

Jaesa frowned. She had no qualms striking down soldiers wearing any color, but she knew it would slightly bother Khryden to carve a path through their own.

The member of the Hand gave a short bow. “My mission is complete. I am recalled. The Hand hopes you find Vowrawn before the assassin strikes. Good luck, Wrath.”

Her figure disappeared and was immediately followed by an explosive curse. Khryden rounded on Jaesa, fingers sparking dangerously and eyes turned blood red by the sudden influence of the dark side. “You heard that too, right? I’m not going insane?”

Jaesa had the sudden strong feeling of being next to a cornered animal. Unamused and unpredictable, it could strike out at any moment, at anyone. So she dredged up some of what remained of the fabled Jedi calm deep within the recesses of her mind and held up a palm in a peaceful gesture. “I did. You’re not. And I think we’ll be fine.”

He reeled back at her words, physically taking a step away from her to lean back against the wall. His jaw worked as he tried to get the words out while Jaesa waited patiently. “You’re…sure about this? I’m thinking they just want to get me killed.”

Jaesa crossed her arms, frustration at his idiocy getting the better of her. “And how would that help them?”

He mimicked her posture. “They would be free to choose a new Wrath.”

She glared at his mockery. “When? And where? Don’t forget, mister, we’re in the middle of a warzone. There are blessedly few Sith in this galaxy that could even come close to your combat skills. And of those few Sith, most of them are probably out of a day’s flight range from Corellia. In case you missed it, Baras’ assassin is here _now_. Darth Vowrawn is in danger _now_. They sent you because you’re the best suited for the job, not because of some misconception you have. You’re here while those other Sith are not. That means the responsibility falls to you. Now will you stop with this paranoia party you have going on and _get on with saving the galaxy_?”

Khryden opened his mouth, took one look at her stormy face, and snapped it shut. Sighing in defeat, he rubbed his eyes. “Ok, perhaps you’re right. Maybe I haven’t been getting enough sleep lately. It really doesn’t make that much sense when you put it like that. Why send me here only to rely on me to do my job if you wanted to kill me?”

“That’s the spirit.” She slid over and pounded a fist against his chest, right over his heart. “Now buck up and put your game face on so we can go save the Empire from the wrath of Darth Baras.”

He caught her fist, using it to pull her in for a kiss. “This is why I need you,” he mumbled. “To give me a kick in the ass when I’m being ridiculously paranoid.”

She pecked another kiss against his lips. “You’re not being _ridiculously_ paranoid, just a little bit too much. Pretty sure everyone in the Empire has nightmares about their boss killing them. Your boss just happens to be the most dangerous and volatile of them all.”

The elevator door finally dinged open, signaling its arrival at the ground floor. She glanced at it and almost missed the grin flitting across his face.

“Ah, I probably shouldn’t be amused by that,” he groaned. “It’s probably treason.” But he was unable to keep a slight smile from his lips and Jaesa grinned widely.

“Whatever keeps you focused,” she said lightly as they headed for the speeders.

\--=+=--

They were nearly caught seven times. Jaesa counted.

Incorporation Island was swarming with Republic troops and it took some clever stealthing on their part to make to Vowrawn’s secret base without a confrontation. That was, until they entered said secret base and came face to face with a platoon of soldiers guarding the entrance. Khryden stepped forward, hands carefully away from his saber hilts, moving into point blank range of the thirty blaster rifles all aimed at his chest. Jaesa slipped into her normal position a step behind his left shoulder and noted with amusement the number of rifles that suddenly turned towards her. The captain of the troupe inched forward, keeping his rifle at the ready.

“Sith, you lost?” he asked incredulously. “You do know you’re in the middle of the most heavily fortified Republic stronghold on Corellia, right?”

“So that’s what this is?” Khryden affected a falsely wondrous tone. “Good, then that means I’m in the right place.” His voice flattened and grew commanding. “Stand down. We’re on the same side.”

The captain paled. “I-uh-don’t know what you’re talking about.” Catching Khryden’s eye, he glanced meaningfully towards the blinking lights in the corners of the room. “The consortium of corporations has cameras in every corporate lobby so we are being observed by the Empire’s enemies as we speak. A Sith comes in here, well, he’s gonna meet resistance. So-uh-we’re gonna have to kill you.”

Jaesa rolled her eyes as Khryden affected a long sigh. “You know, if you had told me that a month or two ago, I might have laughed at a statement like that. Now the ‘ _we’re gonna have to kill you’_ thing just getting frequent and annoying. Thank you for your service to the Empire, captain. Now you die at my hands.” Khryden’s face twisted into a feral smile as he palmed his hilts. “Don’t worry. I promise to put on a good show for your buddies through the cameras.”

The captain wasted no time and cupped his hands around his mouth. “Sound the alarm!”

Soldiers swarmed forward, rifles at the ready, but Khryden merely raised a hand. “Hmm. I don’t think so.”

The captain was shoved backwards with the Force, taking out the soldiers behind him like bowling pins. He collided with the back wall and slumped to the ground as the rest of the soldiers quickly recovered and started firing their guns. Lightsabers, fiery orange and brilliant purple, shrieked to life and deflected the first waved of bolts before attacking with a vengeance. Jaesa felt the adrenaline and bloodlust pump through her veins, powering her muscles and sharpening her reflexes. Khryden might have misgivings about cutting down Imperials, but she sure didn’t. It was so completely satisfying to finally cut through flesh and bone after days of only fighting droids. She reveled in it.

But it was over all too quickly. She cut down the last soldier and no other ones hurried to take his place. Her amethyst blades hummed as they whipped through the air in a flourish before she touched the button on her hilt and recalled them. Surveying the pile of bodies and parts, Jaesa allowed her lips to curve upwards. Ah, well, it was fun while it lasted.

Khryden was stepping back from the captain’s body, shaking his head at the man’s dedication. Jaesa caught his eye and motioned onward.

 _We should get going_ , she suggested, touching his mind. _I don’t think that alarm went off in time, but just to be safe…_

He nodded his agreement and they headed for the force field in front of them. Jaesa examined the writhing coils with distaste as Khryden headed for the console. He found the release command easily and with a final buzz, the force field fell. Just beyond it, however, they ran into their second problem. Approaching a second force field, Khryden and Jaesa were headed off by a Zabrak Sith lord. The alien was surrounded by an air of haughtiness and derision and Jaesa disliked him immediately. Khryden merely raised an eyebrow as the alien’s lips twisted.

“So Baras’ most deadly apprentice has finally found us. My master has been on to you from the beginning.” He wasted no time in pulling his saber from his belt and lighting a golden yellow blade.

Annoyance radiated from Jaesa’s master. “Save us all a lot of trouble and get Vowrawn here now. I need to speak with him.”

The Zabrak had the nerve to chuckle darkly. “Oh don’t worry. He’ll come to survey your remains. Vowrawn can smell Baras’ ploys a thousand light years away.”

“Oh?” Khryden’s voice affected a light tone, but his internal frustration mounted. “A thousand light years and he still seeks to convince me I’m not the man I say I am?” His tone hardened. “Listen to me, I am no longer Baras’ apprentice. I have no desire to see your master dead. Now get out of my way or die. This is your only warning. ”

“Cute,” the Zabrak hissed. “But you won’t fool me. Vowrawn knows the rift between you and your master was a ruse. Painstakingly orchestrated to get you close enough to strike. So, drop the act.”

Khryden clenched his jaw, turning his head slightly and addressing his next words to Jaesa. “This is futile, isn’t it?”

It only took a moment to derive the Zabrak’s true beliefs. “Yes. He is quite set in his ways. He has no intention of listening to you.”

Her master shifted his attention back to the alien Sith and cut his hand across his body in a sharp, frustrated movement. “Well then, why waste time trying to convince a lackey?”

“Die, assassin!” The Zabrak swiped his lightsaber though the air, forcing Khryden to dodge backwards. His lightsabers jumped to his hands and twin fiery orange blades leapt from the hilts. Taking advantage of the moment, Jaesa slipped over to the force field terminal and began looking for the release combination. She kept a mental eye on the confrontation behind her, but it turned out that she didn’t need to worry. The battle was short and brutal. The Zabrak was good, but plainly unused to facing an opponent with two blades and was swiftly cut down without mercy. She heard Khryden extinguishing his blades just as she finished inputting the code and the force field blinked out of existence as he came to stand beside her.

“I hope they’re all not as idiotic as that one,” she muttered as they entered the elevator to go to the next level of the building. 

“If they are, it’s a wonder Vowrawn got as far as he did with security like that.” He sighed somewhat wistfully as the elevator dinged, signaling their arrival. “No one believes it when a Sith tells the truth.”

The area was very white with large overhead lights and a few tables and chairs off to the sides. Jaesa saw a hallway up ahead and off to her right, but discounted it in favor of focusing on the muscled Human Sith striding threateningly towards them with two soldiers in tow.

Khryden wasted no time. “Where is Darth Vowrawn?” he demanded.

The large Human adopted a defensive posture. “You’ll never find out, scum.”

Her master loosed an annoyed sigh, casting a side glance at Jaesa. “Him, too?”

She examined him with her power, but he didn’t show the same blind obedience that the Zabrak had. “Not quite…”

“Well then,” he murmured only loud enough for her to hear, “guess we try to reason with him. Oh, how I hate diplomacy.”

The object of their discussion hadn’t paused in his tirade. “You defeated Lord Haresh, but you can’t overcome the three of us at once—”

“Please, my _apprentice_ could take care of you three no problem. Don’t push your luck.” Khryden folded his arms as Jaesa smirked. “Go get Darth Vowrawn.”

“I take no orders from you!” The Human snarled, hand going to his belt. “Att—”

“Stop!”

The Human froze, miffed to see that the two intruders hadn’t even moved. Did they not see him as a threat? How could they—

“Lord Qet, stand down!”

Khryden and Jaesa watched as a well-dressed Sith Pureblood emerged from the shadows of the hallway. Immediately, Khryden straightened, dropping his hands and focusing on this new intrusion onto the playing field with interest.

Well, this was interesting, Jaesa mused. And it made their job a little easier. A flash of light behind Vowrawn attracted her attention for a split second before it disappeared, but Jaesa knew what she saw. Immediately, she contacted Khryden. _I think I saw something_.

His response was instantaneous though his eyes never left the approaching Pureblood. _What?_

She had an inkling, but previous experience told her to make sure. Sending out her special power, Jaesa surveyed the room. Most of the animosity was aimed towards the two of them, but…there! One person out of place with the intent to kill. _The assassin. Under stealth. He’s here. In the doorway behind Vowrawn._

_Of course he is. He must have found a side entrance._

_What do we do?_

His mental voice reflected an inner frown. _As much as I hate to say it, we wait. Engaging while he’s stealthed is too risky. As soon as he makes his move, I will protect Vowrawn and you will engage the assassin. If we do anything before he does, Lord Qet will take that as an aggressive action and as much as I would love to kill him, he could be a valuable resource. Plus, he seems to be Vowrawn’s right hand man. If we are to preserve Vowrawn’s position, he will need as many of his loyal people as he can gather._

She nodded slightly, knowing he would sense it. Her blood was beginning to boil with the apprehension of a fight and her fingertips tingled.

“My lord,” Lord Qet was saying, “retreat into the shadows. We will stop this assassin.”

Vowrawn rolled his eyes and spread his hands, exasperated. “There could be ten of you and you would fail. Leave us.”

Jaesa managed to press her lips together to hold in her giggle, but couldn’t stop the laugh from bubbling through the bond. _Ooh, I like him already_.

 _Then let’s focus and make sure he doesn’t die a premature death._ Khryden raised his chin. “I care not if they stay. They will provide a good distraction.”

Vowrawn turned to the Wrath, giving a half-bow of appreciation. “Thank you for sparing them. They will not be a problem for you or your master. I applaud you. Convey my congratulations to your master for his superior game play. The kill is yours, I—wait, a good distraction?”

A tiny blinking sphere was tossed into the center of the room and exploded. Seeing it seconds before the combustion, Khryden and Jaesa snatched their lightsabers from their belts and ignited them.

The Wrath moved with Force enhanced speed, shoving Vowrawn to the floor and jumping in front of him to deflect the first wave of blaster bolts as the first one hit Lord Qet. As soon as he moved, Jaesa let herself fade into stealth, wiping any visual trace of her body away, and was on the move.

“Darth Vowrawn,” the assassin rumbled, his blaster pistol aimed as the smoke began to clear. “Darth Baras says you gotta die.”

Coughing, Vowrawn picked himself up from the floor, plainly surprised at this stunning turn of events. “Baras strikes!”

“Now, Jaesa!” Khryden’s words ripped through the last vestiges of smoke and she leapt into action, not worrying about the group behind her. Khryden could take care of himself as well as Darth Vowrawn. The stealth faded from her body and she got one good glimpse of the surprise on the assassin’s face before bringing her lightsaber crashing down on his shoulder, cutting a deep wound. The assassin screamed, stumbling away and trying to bring up his pistol, but she evaded it easily and swept her violet blades in a devastating arc, batting the pistol away with one side and stabbing the assassin in the chest with the other. The alien fell to his knees and Jaesa nearly giggled aloud at the perfection of the offering. Allowing herself to show off just a smidge, she spun with a little more flourish than strictly required and lopped off the assassin’s head neatly. Extinguishing her saberstaff with a flick of her wrist, she spun on her heel as the assassin’s decapitated body hit the floor behind her. She happily noticed all eyes on her as she sauntered confidently over to Khryden and dipped her head. “Master.”

“Well done, Jaesa.”

She thought she was past the stage where any words of praise brought a fluttering of fiery pride, but apparently not.

Vowrawn was gazing at the downed assassin with a look of wonder mixed with excitement. He straightened, patting Lord Qet on the shoulder and glanced at the Wrath. “I—I must say, it is not often that I am speechless. Why, that assassin had me dead to rights! But he was thwarted. And so well executed, too.” His gaze flicked to Jaesa, who allowed a tiny smirk to grace her lips.

Vowrawn smiled slightly in response. “So, I assume you wanted the honor of killing me all to yourself? Why else would you risk yourself to take down a fellow assassin?”

Khryden narrowed his eyes with exasperation. “He is not my fellow, nor I an assassin.”

The Pureblood’s eyes lit up, deriving the meaning immediately. “Oh?”

“I was sent here by the Emperor’s Hands to ensure your safety. Baras is no longer my master. I have been given a mission to bring him down.” He clasped his hands together behind his back and intoned with finality, “I am the Emperor’s Wrath.”

Vowrawn’s eyes widened. “The Wrath? You don’t say?” He stroked a tentacle on his chin, fighting a smile. “Nothing more can be gained by maintaining any deception. If this is true, then the game is renewed!”

“Glad you think so,” Khryden said dryly and crossed his arms while Jaesa struggled to contain her laughter. This Vowrawn was quite a character.

“Well, my friend, then this alliance is sealed. I believe we can take down Darth Baras, and with my help, you can defeat him.”

Jaesa felt a sudden rush of relief though the bond. Odd, she wasn’t even aware Khryden had been holding his breath in the first place. She needed to play better attention if she let that slip by her.

“Good,” he was saying. “I was hoping you’d say that. It would have been an awful waste of time if I had come all the way here and you weren’t willing to work with me.”

“Then I have a slight confession to make.” Vowrawn began to pace casually. “True, Corellia is the location of an important war effort, but the real reason I chose this planet was because of Baras’ pillars of his power base. I believe that if we topple them, we will force him to come out of hiding. Together, we can tear them down!”

Khryden’s mind was whirling, summoning and discarding possibilities faster than Jaesa could track them. That was, until he settled on one that made her gaze snap to his face in surprise. However, he ignored her silent question. “You clearly have thought about this, but no. The Emperor needs you alive. It won’t take long for Baras to dispatch more assassins. You will have to relocate to my ship where my crew can protect you.”

“Far be it for me to defy you, Lord Wrath. My protection here has taken a recent hit. I appreciate the offer and accept, though it sounds like I have few other options. But before I head over, I have some information for you.” Vowrawn’s gaze sharpened and he paused in his pacing. “Most of the Dark Council knows Baras is not the Emperor’s true Voice, but Baras’ two top agents force them to support his bid. One agent safeguards secrets that he uses as leverage. The other leads Jedi Masters in campaigns against Sith who defy him. Now if they were to disappear…”

Khryden nodded abruptly. “Consider it done.”

Vowrawn smiled. “Baras’ first agent is posing as Colonel Senks of the Corellian resistance. His stronghold is a labyrinth of secret passages. Unless you scramble his security codes before laying siege, he’ll be able to flee though a hundred different escape tunnels.”

“Hmm. And Baras’ other agent?”

“My operative is uncovering the identity and location of his Jedi influencer. I expect results soon. For now, Senks.” Vowrawn dug into a pocket of his robe and withdrew three fist sized metal balls. “These pulse disruptors will kill all electronic code emissions—effectively locking Senks’ secret passages. In truth, he’s a fantastic resource. It will be a shame to lose an agent of his caliber.”

The Wrath frowned at the Council member’s insinuation of mercy. “One thing at a time,” he reminded the Pureblood. “I need to get in there first.”

“As you wish,” Vowrawn conceded with a small nod. “My remaining apprentices and I will report to your ship now. I expect to have information on Baras’ second agent soon. May we both be swift.”

\--=+=--

With Vowarwn’s directions, it only took a few hours to locate and infiltrate Senks’ headquarters. Finding and using the pulse emitters on the terminals to prevent the spy’s escape, well that was another story. Whoever planned the maze of hallways plainly had an infatuation with conundrums. But even though it took an obscenely large amount of time to find and destroy the terminals, the passageways were practically empty. They ran into a few patrols as they navigated the labyrinth, but these were taken care of quickly. Truthfully, Jaesa was expecting a lot more resistance. The lack of Republic cannon fodder lining the halls put a damper on her enthusiasm and she was practically sulking as they approached Senks’ inner sanctum.

Due to the extensive amount of time it took to find the terminals, Khryden wasn’t in any better of a mood. He kicked open the unlocked door savagely and he and Jaesa entered Colonel Senks’ private escape room amidst the storm of panic radiating from their target.

“I know that code is right!” Senks was pounding away at his private terminal, sweat pouring down his face. He heard the door crash open behind him and flinched, trying the combination one more time only to be rejected by the computer once again. He clawed a free hand through his short hair, aggravated. “Why aren’t my escape passages opening?”

Khryden’s already short temper shortened again by a marginal amount in a matter of seconds. “I’ll give you one guess.”

Jaesa scoffed as Senks bowed his head in front of his screen and spun around. She folded her arms, her own lack of patience lending a venomous edge to her words. “The answer just broke into your command center.”

Senks shook his head roughly, mumbling to himself as he talked out the problem. Khryden rolled his eyes, losing what little patience he had left and lit his mainhand lightsaber. The threat of a weapon usually got people talking and this was no exception.

The Colonel held up his hands non-threateningly. “Wait! Don’t strike! I’m a secret Imperial agent working directly for Darth Baras!”

From her position at Khryden’s side and with her link to his mind, Jaesa knew this wouldn’t take long, especially at the rate this pathetic man was going. Instead of begging for another chance to decapitate someone, she tamped down her bloodlust and went straight to the spy’s computers, intent on sending what little information remained in the system to the Empire. She felt the flash of appreciation through the bond as Khryden sensed her objective and approved. Senks watched her worriedly as she approached the terminal, but the humming lightsaber blade kept him in check.

“Thank you for confirming your involvement,” the Wrath rumbled, drawing the spy’s attention back to him. “Since Baras is in direct conflict with the Emperor’s Hand, those that support him must die.”

“My work keeps rogue Imperial elements from destabilizing the Empire!” Senks declared. “I’m essential in the fight for Corellia. I steer Republic aligned forces into battles they can't win. Shut me down and we lose the war. Are you willing to risk that?”

From her place transmitting the data to Vowrawn at the computer terminal, Jaesa smirked at the screen. “Not a good idea, making threats,” she sang under her breath.

Sure enough, Khryden’s voice hardened. “Everyone is replaceable.”

“No, please! I—” The sound of a lightsaber slicing the air cut off his cry.

Jaesa concluded her data transfer, secretly proud of her improving slicing skills. She stepped away from the terminal, barely glancing at Senks’ body on the floor and sending Khryden a victorious smile.

_The data’s been transferred?_

_Of course. And I see you’ve taken care of your end_. Her toe nudged the body at her feet.

 _Vowrawn will be happy_ , Khryden smirked, glancing at the body. _And I am as well_.

 _A win-win situation_ , Jaesa agreed lightly, internally looking forward to confronting the next spy. The next one promised to have Jedi guarding him and she was looking forward to it with a hot coil of excitement in her stomach.

\--=+=--

Leaving the building was no less difficult. Somehow, the alarm hadn’t been triggered, never mind the spotty trail of bodies that led to the late Colonel Senks’ office. Once outside and a safe distance away from any Republic-aligned structures, Khryden made his obligatory call to Vowrawn. Dialing the ship, Khryden was surprised to see Quinn’s form pop up, stiff and overly formal.

“All is quiet here, my lord. Nothing suspicious, and no further attempts on Darth Vowrawn.”

“Quinn, put Vowrawn on.”

The captain bowed and the hologram flickered, replacing his form with the Dark Council member’s. Vowrawn for his part, looked perfectly content. “Captain Quinn is an excellent officer. I’m in good hands here. I must say, you’re rather good at getting results. I was immensely surprised when Colonel Senks’ data began coming into your ship’s computer. Well done, indeed. I assume the man himself has been retired?”

“Forcefully,” confirmed the Wrath.

Vowrawn sighed. “Well, you can’t please everyone. At least he’s been taken care of. Anyway,” the Pureblood rubbed his hands together, “Baras’ false Jedi is still at large. He leads Jedi against Sith who defy Baras’ will. My operative, Shadow, is searching for him.”

“He has yet to report in?”

“Unfortunately, Shadow has been pinned down by enemy artillery. He has the information, but had to go radio silent to avoid capture.”

“Where is he now?”

“Shadow was cut off on the sother side of Axial Park, beyond Coronet Zoo. The park is a front-line battlefield, where the heaviest fighting is taking place.”

Jaesa bowed her head slightly, letting the shadows conceal her upper face and allowing a fervent smile to slide across her lips. A front-line battlefield? This was almost as good as slaughtering Jedi.

“Shadow will be waiting in the safe house in the area,” Vowrawn concluded.

Khryden gave a sharp nod, all business even though he could sense Jaesa’s excitement. “Anything else?”

Vowrawn paused, stroking a chin tendril. “Well, there is something else you could do for me…”

“What.” Khryden’s voice was dry and demanding.

“The bombings that blocked Shadow are hampering our ground forces at Axial Park. If you could destroy the enemy artillery banks along the way, it would be most helpful. Either way, Shadow will tell you all you need to know to confront Baras’ Jedi spy. Call me when the deed is done.”

\--=+=--

Jaesa felt like skipping as they fought their way to the Jedi bunker. Plenty of opposition fell to their combined blades and after such a long time dismembering only droids and only the occasional organic, streets full of enemies made her day. Khryden was a little more subdued in his outward actions, but there was no denying the visceral satisfaction that accompanied every kill. In truth, he was waiting to infiltrate the Jedi bunker. Though common soldiers were fun to mow down, the real appeal resided within the challenge that Jedi warriors provided.

The bunker, like Shadow had promised, was protected by special forces soldiers and Jedi alike. Though a little more problematic than regular grunts, they too fell while trying to defend the bunker’s contents from the rampaging Sith. Any slight injuries were swiftly healed through rage or patched with their dwindling medkits, so above all, this mission was a test of endurance. Khryden and Jaesa and been fighting nearly the entire day and by the time they reached the Jedi’s inner sanctum, the constant movement was beginning to wear on them, mentally and physically. Though Khryden was satisfied with the progress being made, he knew deep down that every step they took brought them closer to Baras. Or more accurately, closer to the final confrontation. And that made him edgy. That coupled with the onset of exhaustion was wearing on his last nerves. Jaesa sensed his unease, and made a point to keep her spirits high to combat his short temper, even though a similar feeling of fatigue was encroaching upon her.

That’s why when they finally entered the inner sanctum of the bunker, Khryden had a stony mask on his face while Jaesa sported a wide grin. There was only one Jedi in the room when they arrived, but Jaesa could sense the Force signatures of a few other Jedi nearby. One scan of the Jedi Master as they approached revealed her secret status as Baras’ spy and she relayed the information to Khryden immediately.

 _Good_ , he responded shortly. _That makes this easier. The sooner this is over the sooner Baras will be forced out of_ _hiding_.

The Jedi Master straightened from her position leaning over a table and turned with a glint in her eye. “Your invasion ends here, Sith. You are severely outnumbered.”

In a moment, the two hidden Jedi and three soldiers surrounded them, cutting off any escape.

Tired and already annoyed with the proceedings, Khryden wasted no time. “Baras’ spy, reveal yourself. I am the Emperor’s Wrath, come to release you from your undercover assignment.” He leveled his gaze at the Master in front of him, relaying with no uncertainty the extent of his knowledge.

One of the Jedi behind him exclaimed, “What? Are you suggesting one of us is an Imperial spy?”

Khryden didn’t lift his stare. “I’m not suggesting. I’m ordering.”

There was a full thirty seconds of silence. Finally, the Jedi Master broke the impasse and dipped her head respectfully. “You are becoming a legend among us, my friend. I am thankful you have given me the chance to save myself.”

Horrified gasps sounded from the Jedi behind Jaesa. “Master Injaye? You?”

The newly revealed spy smirked. “All these years, right under your noses. I was to lead you to your deaths today. Instead, I’ll watch my new friend destroy you.”

 _Jaesa, keep an eye on her. If she runs, show no mercy_. Khryden lit his lightsabers. “It would be my pleasure.”

The Jedi and smattering of soldiers behind them shouted war cries as they pounced, but the two Sith were ready. Jaesa dodged the first strike of the Jedi closest to her and aimed her saberstaff for the soldiers. Khryden drew the attention of both Jedi, keeping them occupied as she dispatched the soldiers with ease. In a matter of minutes due to Force sped blows, both Jedi sprawled on the ground, dead. Khryden let loose an exhalation as he turned on Master Injaye, lightsabers extended at his sides threateningly.

Jaesa giggled maniacally at the look on the spy’s face as the realization crashed over her. “Oh no…you're not here to release me, are you?”

“As I said,” Khryden growled, prompting Jaesa to shiver from the deliciousness of the sound, “I am the Emperor’s Wrath. That puts me at odds with my former master Baras, who inaccurately claims to be the Emperor’s Voice. For assisting in his treachery, the punishment I deal is death.”

Master Injaye shook her head violently and grabber her lightsaber, lips drawing back in a snarl. “I shall not go down without a fight, Wrath or not!”

She struck without warning, but Khryden easily parried her blow. “Please,” he scoffed. “Just make it easy on us and kneel.”

Injaye barked a laugh, disengaging and stepping away while shifting her stance. “You’d be disappointed. Admit it.”

“Hmm. I promise I won’t be as long as you give me a better fight than those two.” He jerked his head at the downed Jedi.

“Just the two of us, then? Your apprentice won’t interfere?”

Khryden fixed her with an icy glare. “True dueling rules only apply to those awarded them. And for the sentence of treason, you certainly aren’t. However, I’m feeling generous. It’ll be a good warmup for when I behead Baras.”

Jaesa frowned at this. _Are you sure you don’t want me to interfere?_

_I want to see how she battles first. I’ll let you know if she fails and then you can stick your lightsaber through her chest._

The first few blows exchanged were hesitant, each testing the other’s strength and reflexes. Then the Emperor’s Wrath spun into motion, overwhelming Injaye with speed and powerful blows. Within a few minutes, it was apparent that there was no contest, and Khryden stepped back with a look of disgust on his face.

“You failed,” he stated.

“I—ugh!” Injaye looked down at the violet lightsaber sprouting from her chest, then collapsed before she could utter another word.

Khryden deactivated his sabers, angrily spitting on her corpse. “I thought a good battle was all I needed to stay focused, but apparently all the worthy Jedi are on another planet. This is child’s play.”

Jaesa squatted down next to the fallen spy to confirm her kill before standing and grabbing his elbow to steer him out of the bunker. “The only antidote for that is Baras’ death. Take things one step at a time and Baras will be unveiled before you know it.”

Stepping out into the sunlight, Khryden growled out an affirmation. “I just hate how he’s so close, yet so far. Everything we’ve done has been systematically tearing him down, but he seems to not feel a bit of it. Makes me think sometimes that we’re fighting a losing battle.”

Jaesa spun to face him, squinting against the sun. “Losing battle? I think not. Everything we’ve done in the past has led up to this moment. Before, we were chipping at the base of his pedestal of power. Here, we’re knocking down supports left and right. Think of all the people we’ve eliminated so far. Every one of them was an integral part of Baras’ network, with their deaths meaning more to Baras than they do to us. Sure, lackeys can be replaced. But imagine how hard it is to infiltrate the Jedi and hide under their noses for years. I’m sure there are other Imperial spies within their ranks, but it takes years to insert someone like that. And not only that, that someone has to be the right type of person. It takes a lot of time and effort, so the effects are going to be felt.” Mindful of where they were, Jaesa grasped his forearm with an iron grip. “We’re so close, Khryden. I can feel it. We’re nearly there.”

He nodded slowly. “We’ve been fighting this for so long that I can’t even imagine what our lives are going to be like after this ends. This confrontation has been at the forefront of my mind for who knows how long. It’ll feel good when this is finally over.”

“Agreed,” Jaesa said with feeling. “As soon as this business is over, I have a wedding to plan.”

That brought a smile to Khryden’s lips. “We both do.” Glancing at his buzzing datapad, he grimaced and pulled out his holocom. “Urgent message from Shadow to call him as soon as we’re done with the bunker. I wonder what he wants?”

Jaesa frowned and folded her arms while he dialed the operative. Urgent, hmm? That was never good to see on a message.

The operative’s figure popped up and immediately he started speaking. “Shadow here. Dispatching Armageddon Battalion to secure the bunker you cleared. But there’s been an attack on Darth Vowrawn and your crew.”

The temperature immediately dropped twenty degrees. “What?” growled Khryden. “What do you mean an attack? Was it an assassin?”

Shadow ignored the questions. “They said to patch you through when you called. Doing so now…”

Vowrawn’s operative was replaced by Lieutenant Pierce’s form. Seeing the look on his boss’s face, Pierce cut straight to the chase. “Apologies, my lord. The attack was sudden. Unknown assailant, very powerful. On the run now, taking Vowrawn to a safe house in the Imperial Legislature. He wants you to meet us there.”

“Tell me the attacker has been killed,” Khryden ground out.

Pierce’s jaw tightened and he shook his head. “Way out of our league, my lord. Lucky we got out of there in one piece.”

Khryden suddenly addressed a glaring inconsistency. “Quinn’s usually the one to update me. Where is he?”

Pierce straightened into full soldier posture. “Incapacitated, my lord. Took the brunt of the attack and now’s in the infirmary getting patched up.”

The Wrath let out a breath. “Fine. Jaesa and I will meet you at the Imperial Legislature. Signing off.”

Pierce saluted and vanished from miniature holoterminal. Slowly, methodically, Khryden returned his holocom to his belt. “We should make haste,” he finally said, voice level and unreadable. “The longer Vowrawn is not with us, the greater the chance of the assassin striking a second time.”

Touching their bond, Jaesa sensed a myriad of tangled emotions. Most dominating was concern for their wellness, anger at how easily the assassin had gotten to Vowrawn, and…was that pride? Khryden glanced at her, knowing she was reading his emotions and offered a shrug. The jumble of diverse feelings was too difficult even for him to unwind. Raising an eyebrow, Jaesa led the way to their speeders.

\--=+=--

Vowrawn looked positively thrilled when they arrived. Rubbing his palms together excitedly, he greeted Khryden and Jaesa as soon as they stepped through the door.

“You made it! This is heating up, isn’t it?” He narrowed his eyes seriously. “Baras has taken off the sparring gloves. This assassin was the most lethal to date.”

“I want to know what happened,” Khryden demanded. “Don’t leave anything out.”

“The attack was sudden and vicious. There was no panic, no confusion. To a man, your people stared into the face of death and did not flinch.” Vowrawn looked over to the side and gestured for someone to step out of the doorway. To Jaesa’s surprise, Quinn limped out and stood next to Vowrawn, clad in kolto-soaked bandages from nearly head to toe and wearing a sling on his right arm. His posture was still stiff and subservient, but there was a fiercely proud gleam in his eye that Jaesa hadn’t seen in a while. “Captain Quinn must be commended. He took on the assailant with no mortal concern.”

Quinn quickly cut in. “I’m making up for a past indiscretion—my commitment to my lord is unassailable now.”

Khryden’s gaze instantly sharpened. One sacrifice to make up for a past full of lies and deceit? Hardly. “I won’t exonerate you so easily, Captain.”

“And I do not blame you my lord.” Quinn bowed stiffly.

Vowrawn watched the exchange with interest. “You ride your people hard,” he observed. “Though I can’t argue with the results. Now that you’ve neutralized Baras’ agents, we must go on the offensive. The end game is upon us.”

“You have a plan,” Khryden predicted.

“This last move will take both of us. In a secret lair here on the planet, Baras has bound and indentured an ancient Sith spirit. He feeds of the spirit’s power, stealing her visions of the future. Everythign he has built has come from her insights. However, until now the inner sanctum has been unattainable for me. I believe only you have the power to cut through Baras’ defenses, and only I know the ritual that unlocks the spirit’s bonds. In freeing her, we strike the ultimate blow and cripple Baras from within.”

“Then it will happen,” Khryden promised. “Each blow is one step closer. And there are only a few steps left to take.”

\--=+=--

Entering the Entity’s grand chamber, Jaesa kept her senses open and her muscles tense. In the middle of the darkened inner sanctum, a device held a woman’s purple form in stasis, with the machine providing the only real light. If there was ever a place for an ambush, this was it. And this time, Jaesa was set on not being taken by surprise again. The assassin was still at large and with Khryden focused on releasing the Entity with Vowrawn, the responsibility of watching their backs fell to her.

She cast her gaze around the lightless chamber while Khryden and Vowrawn headed for the Entity. Though her eyes weren’t much use, she strained them anyway, peering through the darkness. There was an unidentified presence, but she couldn’t tell if it was the assassin or the Entity. The two males went on ahead, exchanging words with the floating form. If she had wanted to, Jaesa could have easily listened in on their conversation, but that mysterious presence was bothering her. Something told her it wasn’t what it seemed and in light of the past few months, she was learning to trust her gut more and more.

The Entity’s voice grew ragged, her words pulsing suddenly through Jaesa’s consciousness. “No. You do not. Understand. We. Are. Not alone.”

A shiver ran down her spine at this eerie warning. No doubt the Entity knew what she was talking about, but from where would the attack come? Her shoulder muscles seized up as she looked wildly around. Something was coming. Something important. Something…that made her desire revenge. Her special power surged and the presence suddenly crystalized in her Force sight.

The attack came with barely a warning and Jaesa had few precious seconds to respond. Reacting without thinking based on her power’s analysis of the intruder’s true motives, Jaesa relied on the Force to guide her and whipped out her blade and leapt towards Khryden’s unprotected back. The purple of her lightsaber clashed with the blur of red as it intercepted the thrown red blade inches from impaling her master. With a snarl, Jaesa flicked her saber and sent the lightsaber skittering off to the side where it was swiftly called back to the assassin’s waiting hand. Without a moment’s respite, the attacker flung Vowrawn bodily aside and within seconds contained the Pureblood within a powerful Force death field, siphoning off its victim’s strength the longer they remained contained. Khryden flinched, spinning around, and drew his sabers as he locked gazes with none other than Lord Draagh. Baras’ current apprentice looked the same minus the ugly red scars that decorated his bare skull and the intense reconstruction his face had gone through with cybernetics.

Calm and cold. Those were the only things Jaesa could recognize as her body turned to ice. She didn’t move from her defensive position, keeping her dualsaber lit and her eyes on Draagh. _How—?_

 _I don’t know_ , Khryden growled. _But I intend to find out_.

“At last.” Draagh savored the words, the cybernetics taking up much of his face moving and glinting in the faint light with each word. “I’ve caught up with you again. I told you, I cannot be killed.”

Khryden’s voice was carefully measured. “Baras’ favored apprentice. But I watched you burn to death.”

“You watched me burn. That is all. Baras retrieved me. Made me whole again, made me stronger.” Draagh clenched a fist and held it up. “My eyes are no longer flesh. I see in a new way now.” His gaze flicked between the Wrath and his apprentice. “And the sight of you sickens and delights me.”

Jaesa felt the darkness within her rearing its head. It would not take those words laying down. It wanted to fight and she wanted to repay Draagh for their last confrontation!

Draagh continued. “In minutes, the great Darth Vowrawn will disintegrate. Then the Entity will be forever within Darth Baras’ control.”

 _Minutes? We’re on a time limit_ , Khryden hissed. _Whether he’s telling the truth or not, we can’t afford letting that happen._

 _I will kill him_ , Jaesa seethed, clenching her lightsaber hilt with renewed vigor.

The Entity’s stumbling voice echoed throughout the hall. “Truth. The death field. Is powered. By the machinery. Of Draagh’s.”

Twin smiles of death appeared on the faces of Vowrawn’s allies. “That’s all I needed to hear,” Khryden confirmed.

“Vengeance is mine!” Draagh screamed and sprinted for them.

Any other day and it would have been a swift battle. But Khryden and Jaesa were exhausted from going nearly three days straight with no respite while Draagh was well rested as well as enhanced with his new cybernetics that seemed to predict their movements before they made them. And while lightsabers crashed together in a spray of sparks, the ticking time bomb of the death field behind them injecting their attacks with a sense of desperate urgency.

The Wrath and his apprentice slipped into a comfortable rhythm almost immediately. Khryden took the lead, attacking viciously, and Jaesa covered his weak spots with her extensive reach. She had to lean more and more on the energy the dark side gave her and she could feel Khryden doing the same. At this point, their physical bodies were drained but strengthened connections to the dark side kept them from collapse. But Draagh just kept coming no matter how many apparently superficial wounds they decorated his body with. Though the number of their lightsabers severely outnumbered Draagh’s single blade, they were fighting against a man that was more machine than human.

Jaesa nearly stumbled at the realization. More machine than human. Like the droids they had been fighting all day. Which meant that such extensive cybernetics required a power source and destroying that source would decide the battle. It only took a moment of careful examination before Jaesa zeroed in on the mass of metal covering his chest. If there was a place to put a generator, where better than next to his heart?

 _His heart_ , Jaesa gasped, even her mental voice short of breath. _That’s where the generator for his cybernetics is._

Khryden grunted as he dodged Draagh’s blade and attempted a Force push. _Generator? So if we destroy that…_

_Draagh will die. He’s more machine than human. He depends on the cybernetics to live. In order to kill him, we have to put a lightsaber through his metallic heart._

_Good work. I can keep him distracted while you got for his weak spot. He’s mostly focused on me, anyway. Just…hurry. We have a time limit._

Khryden began increasing the alacrity of his blows, forcing Draagh to focus on defending. Jaesa ducked under a particularly wide swing and let herself fade into stealth. Khryden was sweating and breathing hard with the effort of keeping Draagh preoccupied, but he didn’t let up. There was too much on the line. As he saw Jaesa fade from view, he increased the vigor of his strikes even more, drawing heavily upon the dark side. His eyes began to glow blood red and the familiar red aura edged his body.

In a single shattering moment, Jaesa popped out of stealth behind Draagh and thrust one side of her doublebladed saber at his back. The move, having never failed her before, failed her now. Twisting with impossible speed and flexibility, Draagh batted away her blade with a crazed grin.

“That little stealth trick won’t work on me, sweetness,” Draagh panted. “Too bad!”

A merciless grin split Jaesa’s face and she twisted her saberstaff, knocking her opponent’s lightsaber tip to the floor. “Oh, I don’t know about that. I’d say you’ve been tricked.”

It was beautiful to see the ruthlessness of his expression be replaced by horror, then surprise, then pain as Khryden’s lightsabers pierced his armor and ran through his body. The twin glowing blades were retracted and Draagh fell to his knees, utterly spent and barely hanging on to the last threads of consciousness. The feeling of sweet victory swamped Jaesa and she floundered for a moment before giving up and just letting it overwhelm her. This time, they would make sure Draagh died.

“The death field,” the Entity gasped. “Dies. With Draagh.”

Without a moment of deliberation, Khryden swung his lightsabers in a deadly arc, cutting Draagh down decisively. As soon as the blades made contact, the death field vanished and Vowrawn fell to the floor on his hands and knees. Jaesa stepped to his side and took his arm, helping the Dark Council member to stand.

“Such a finish!” Vowrawn panted. “Never felt so much pain. I fully expected to die.” He waved Jaesa off and limped over to the Entity. “But I am grateful to have witnessed your destruction of that monstrosity. Now if you’ll allow me, I think we had better finish this ritual before we get interrupted a second time.”

Khryden was still breathing hard from the battle. “Be my guest.”

“Of course, of course. But first…Entity, is Baras aware of what transpired here?”

The shadowed woman drew in a shuddering breath. “Through me. The defiler. Sees all. Of this.”

Vowrawn clapped his hands together giddily. “Wonderful! He must be twisting with fury!” Jaesa rolled her eyes, Vowrawn’s antics bringing a reluctant smile to her lips. “Now, we set up the ritual…”

Khryden caught her eye as Vowrawn began an incantation. _Go check the entrance to make sure we haven’t attracted any other attention. I’ll stay here with Vowrawn and make sure he doesn’t faint._

She dipped her head and took her time patrolling the entrance. There were no other living beings around them, but she made doubly sure by going over the entire place with her eyes as well as her Force sight and her special power. By the time she made it back, Darth Vowrawn was finishing up the ritual and the Entity vanished in an explosion of air and bright purple light. Curiously, Jaesa watched as the air around the base of the Entity’s prison flared a deep red, then jumped in surprise as the Entity herself walked from the light.

“Free!” she gloated. “Now. I am. Forgotten again. And grateful. Remember me. To the defiler.”

Awed by the pure darkness the Entity wielded, Jaesa bowed to the apparition, seeing Vowrawn and Khryden do the same out of the corner of her eye. The Entity bowed her head and vanished for the last time in a haze of shadow.

Vowrawn immediately turned to Khryden. “My friend, you have been a revelation. It is time for you to confront Darth Baras.”

Finality colored his tone. “I have been waiting for this for too long.”

The Dark Council member nodded. “As have I. Though even now, Baras is near-indestructible. But I know of no other way to weaken him. Tell the Hand the Dark Council awaits. And I will be there to usher you in. Farewell, my friend. Korriban awaits.”

The Pureblood offered the Wrath one last slight bow before heading out of the chamber. Jaesa and Khryden glanced at each other. They were both exhausted, pushed to the limit, and not to mention stained with dust, sweat, and blood from a day of intense fighting. But at that moment when their eyes met, similar rushes of adrenaline washed away their aches temporarily and they shared a vengeful smile. This was it, the final confrontation. All their work had led up to this. Their enemy’s leverage was gone and the pillars supporting him had either been knocked down or severely weakened. The final battle would reveal the false Voice for the entire Dark Council to see.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next WILL be the last chapter, I promise this time! I would appreciate it if you would comment and tell me what you thought or drop a kudos!


	2. The Showdown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter of the last installment! Hope you enjoy :)

Khryden, Jaesa, and the entire crew met up at the ship. Standing with his back to the holoterminal, Khryden folded his arm and looked at his crew. There had been some rough spots along the way, but he knew their dedication to be unshakable now.  “This is it. Baras waits for us on Korriban with the Dark Council as well. You all are welcome to accompany me, but only Jaesa, with her status as my apprentice, will be allowed in the Council’s inner chambers. The rest of you will have to wait outside.” He hesitated for a split second. “Should I fall, I have no doubt Baras’ first order will be to have all of you executed. Therefore I will not fault you if you would rather stay aboard the ship and be prepared to run as soon as the news reaches you. However,” he pounded his fist into his palm, “I will not fail in my mission to bring Baras down. He will be discredited, one way or another.

“Quinn, you will stay in the medbay on the ship and watch over it to make sure nothing is amiss. Jaesa is accompanying me into the Council chamber, so that leaves Vette, Broonmark, and Pierce to decide whether to come with or stay behind. I’m sure Quinn will have the ship prepped for departure anyway. Think on your choice, but be ready when we land on Korriban.”

Khryden left, heading to his quarters and the crew let out a collective sigh.

“This is how it ends, isn't it?” Vette said quietly. “Either he wins and we’re safe, or he dies and we’re on the run for the rest of our lives.”

“Or dead,” Pierce interjected.

Jaesa refused to let a defeatist attitude bring her down. No matter what happened in the Dark Council’s chamber, she would support him to the end. That’s what she had done at the beginning and she wouldn’t stop now. “Then we’d better hope he wins.”

She escaped the suddenly confining atmosphere and let her feet lead her until she got to the bridge. The lights were low and only the glow from the galaxy map and various consoles lit up the area. Curling up in the pilot’s seat with her knees tucked under her chin and her arms wrapped tightly around them, Jaesa gazed out into the black void of space, the slight twinkling of stars in the distance reminding her of the view off the balcony on Nar Shaddaa. Out there, somewhere, Korriban and the Dark Council waited. A hyperspace jump and a fight were the only things that separated them from their goal now. She closed her eyes, trying to envision how the confrontation would go but gave up by the third try. There were just too many variables. Too many ways for it to go wrong and she knew she would just drive herself crazy thinking about them. Sighing, she tightened her grip around her shins. It would all be over soon.

For a moment, Jaesa allowed herself to think about the future. Her future. She didn’t do this often, as it reminded her of how quickly things could change, but once in a while, she needed the hope. The hope that somehow, against all odds, everything would turn out ok. From behind her eyelids, Jaesa saw Khryden winning. She saw him gut Baras with his fiery lightsabers and then raise them to the ceiling in victory. Everything else faded out as she saw herself running towards him, joy exuding from every cell of her being. They embraced, and Khryden pressed fierce kiss to her lips.

 _“It’s over,”_ he murmured in her ear.

The scene shifted around them and the two of them were suddenly sitting in that same restaurant on Nar Shaddaa. They were finally having an uninterrupted date night. For this one night, there were no threats, no enemies of the Empire that had to be chased down and eliminated, and no interruptions. And Jaesa was happy. It was such a rare feeling, this blissful happiness. And she wanted it to last forever.

But the logical part of her mind ripped her from the vision. She knew that total happiness wasn’t possible, but she was going to get as close as she could. So, Jaesa fantasized. She imagined continuing to use her power throughout the galaxy, taking down highly placed Republic spies one by one. She imagined the fear in their eyes when they realized what she could do with her special power and how her name quickly spread until her power and influence could rival Khryden’s. A smile slid its way onto her face. What a team they would make. The husband and wife duo, protectors of the Empire. They would strike fear into the hearts of those that dared try to turn against the Emperor. And they would be unstoppable.

Jaesa drifted off to sleep, the smile lingering on her lips.

\--=+=--

Khryden approached the holoterminal silently. It was late and they were well on their way to Korriban, but there was one particular group he had purposefully delayed updating. There was no particular reason for it, he just wasn’t looking forward to the conversation. He sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly, calming his heartrate and wiping his face free of emotion as he dialed. He waited, posture stiff, until two familiar forms flickered into existence above the holoterminal.

He bowed slightly. “Servant One and Servant Two. The situation on Corellia has been handled. Vowrawn is safe and en route to Korriban, as am I.”

The hoodless Servant One nodded appreciatively. “Good. Then the time for the final showdown is nearly upon us. You have done well, Wrath, but this is no time to get complacent. Baras will be aiming for your throat.”

“Let him try.” Khryden raised his chin confidently. “It will only accelerate his demise.”

“See that you do not underestimate Baras,” cautioned Servant One. “He is still a dangerous opponent, even with his power base uprooted. If anything, it will make him more inclined to beat you himself.”

“That’s what I’m waiting for,” Khryden affirmed with a savage glint in his eye.

“The Wrath on the hunt,” murmured Servant Two. “A sight to behold.”

One glanced briefly at his companion. “Your apprentice. Where is she?”

Momentarily taken aback, Khryden blinked rapidly in an attempt to regain control. This was highly unusual. In all his time working with the two Hand members, they had never once even acknowledged that he had others with him. And now they were asking for Jaesa personally? Khryden didn’t know what to think, but his first inclination was strongly negative. “It is late. I ordered all my crew to bed to get some rest before we land on Korriban. She’s probably asleep.”

Two shook his head. “No.”

The Wrath blinked slowly, stunned yet again. No? What did he mean? No she’s not asleep? No it’s not late? “I...beg your pardon?”

The hooded Pureblood shrugged slightly. “No,” he said simply.

One looked ever so slightly annoyed. “Get her.”

Snapping his loose jaw closed before any threats could be made, Khryden quickly bowed and walked to the crew’s quarters, mind whirling. What in the galaxy could they want with Jaesa? He felt himself start shaking. If they meant her harm, he would not let it happen. He couldn’t. Shaking his head to firm his resolve, Khryden cracked the door to the crew’s quarters and poked his head inside, instantly noticing Jaesa’s empty bed. The sigh of the door opening woke Vette in an instant, who spun off her bed reflexively, coming up on one knee and aiming the blaster she kept under her pillow at her lord in the doorway. She blinked slowly, gaping as her half asleep mind tried to catch up with her eyes, and quickly lowered the gun once she saw who she was pointing it at.

“My…my lord? What are you doing here?” Vette fought back a vicious yawn as she climbed to her feet.

He cut right to the chase. “Jaesa. Where is she?”

“She’s …” Vette glanced over to where Jaesa usually slept, noting the empty bed and smoothed covers. “…not here? Hmm, that’s odd.”

Khryden bit back a curse. “I’ll find her. Go back to sleep.”

He left, closing the door behind him, and closed his eyes, reaching out delicately to their bond. Had he not been so certain of where to look first, he would have done this sooner. She wasn’t in his quarters, nor in the refresher, so where could she…ah. He zeroed in on her aura up on the bridge. Mindful of who he was keeping waiting, he went there with all due haste.

The moment he saw her, he was tempted for a brief moment to let her sleep. She was curled up in the pilot’s chair and fast asleep with even breathing. She looked so peaceful and beautiful that he was loathe to disturb her, but the Hand was waiting. It would be quite a shock to her when she woke up, but Khryden was certain she could handle it.

He shook her shoulder gently. “Jaesa? Jaesa, wake up.”

It took a few tries, but eventually her gorgeous yellow eyes blinked open tiredly. “Khryden?” She yawned. “What time is it?”

“Late,” he answered. “But that matters not. I called to update the Hand on our progress and they specifically asked for you.”

That was all it took to wake her up fully. She sat up, wincing as her back protested from her awkward sleeping position. “Me?” The question was apparent in her voice.

He shrugged. “I have no idea. Your guess is as good as mine.”

“Now?” At his nod, she grimaced. “Good thing I have a hood on my outfit. There’s no time to fix my hair.”

True to his gender stereotype, Khryden hadn’t even noticed the few tufts of hair that stuck up at odd angles as a result of sleeping on it. He blinked. “You look fine.”

She gave him a look that said _don’t fight me on this_ and he held up his hands in mock surrender, a light smile playing over his lips. Jaesa just rolled her eyes in response and quickly ran her fingers through her hair before pulling up her hood. “Ready when you are.”

Khryden nodded tightly. “Just remember who we’re dealing with here. And be careful about your promises.”

She stood and slipped her hand into his for a quick squeeze. “I’ll stick right next to you.”

“That would make me feel better,” he conceded. “I just wish I knew what they were planning.”

He led the way back to the holoterminal where Servants One and Two were waiting. Jaesa noticeably straightened as they came into view of the lens.

She placed a hand on her chest and bowed. “My lords, you asked for me?”

Servant One nodded. “Yes. The Hand has a task for you, Jaesa Willsaam. You would do well to respond favorably to the call.”

Nervous energy emitted from Jaesa immediately and he frowned internally. What could they want from her?

She had apparently taken his words to heart and was loathe to promise anything certain, so she bowed again. “If it is within my power, I will serve you to the best of my ability.”

One nodded, satisfied. “You possess the power of discerning unvarnished truth. Baras is not the only one facing a sudden disruption of power. There is another on the Dark Council that has an underling lord. Strange flares of ancient power emit from her wherever she goes and there have been rumors of her dabbling into various methods of eternal life. The Hand finds it prudent to keep tabs on upcoming possible threats. You are to accompany the Wrath into the Dark Council’s chamber and use your power to locate Darth Thanaton. Glean what information you can about his troublesome underling lord and when the Wrath completes his mission, so shall you.”

Automatically, Khryden and Jaesa exchange a swift glance. Their eyes locked for no longer than a second or two, but it was enough for an entire silent conversation. She had no choice but to accept, and he had no choice but to let her.

“The Wrath and the apprentice are no longer tethered.” Servant Two smiled beneath the shadows obscuring his face. “And so a new power struggle is born.”

Servant One glanced at his partner and they seemed to communicate silently for a few moments. Finally, he gave a slight nod and turned back to the duo in front of him.

Jaesa took it all in stride and merely blinked. “Is that all?”

The hoodless Pureblood narrowed his eyes. “For now. Good luck to you both.”

The two forms disappeared and Jaesa’s shoulders slumped with relief. They stood there for a few long minutes, neither of them willing to break the silence. Khryden’s mind was struggling to translate all of the undertones he sensed during the exchange, but he kept coming back to one: satisfaction. And for the life of him, he could not figure out why the Hand would be satisfied when their biggest trial lay yet ahead of them.

\--=+=--

The heat on Korriban was oppressive the moment their ragged group stepped out of the spaceport. The sun beat down on the sand and the sand reflected the heat upwards through the soles of their shoes and through their dark clothes. Whoever chose black and dark red to be the Sith’s color obviously _never_ step foot on this godforsaken planet. Jaesa muttered a curse. Even her _shins_ were sweating. She didn’t know her shins _had_ sweat glands until this moment. At least she got to wear a fancier version of her normal midriff-baring robes. The others weren’t so lucky with their attire.

Khryden had dressed for battle. Jaesa had overseen 2V-R8’s polishing regiment after the Hand had hung up, unable to sleep. Besides, 2V still technically was her responsibility until the month was up as dictated by her ‘punishment’. The droid had spent a few hours on the armor, buffing out scrapes and re-stitching loose straps. When he had finished and held it up for Jaesa to review it, she had lost her breath. Seeing his battle armor polished to perfection slammed the point home. This was it. This was the last hurdle. Now watching him a half-stride in front of her with his armor gleaming and black cape snapping behind him made her smile. His new lightsaber hilts shone as they reflected the sunlight, sparkling and bloodthirsty. Ready for action, like he was.

Pierce and Broonmark followed a step behind her, both electing to accompany their boss and clan-leader respectively. Pierce’s armor was cleaned and repainted and Broonmark actually made an attempt to brush his fur. Vette had elected to stay on the ship with Quinn, both to keep an eye on him per Jaesa’s request and to assist him in prepping the ship for a quick departure. After that quick glance behind her, Jaesa focused on what lay ahead: a stretch of sand, then the rising peaks of the legendary Korriban Academy.

Having never set foot on the planet before ten minutes ago, Jaesa tried hard not to seem like a gawky tourist. She kept her head straight and her chin still, but her eyes flitted around like distressed flies, taking in the proud columns and draping red and purple swaths of cloth. The Imperial guards that lined the Academy’s entrance ways knelt in eerie unison as the two Sith and their entourage passed, drawing the apprenticed lord’s attention away from the towering statues that watched over visitors with shadowed faces. As quickly as she glanced at them, however, she jerked her gaze back upwards as they entered the main chamber.

Here, a set of stairs on either side of a giant statue in the center of the room curled up to the second floor of the spacious area. Apprentices and overseers alike milled around the ground floor and upper level but they all snapped to attention as the Wrath passed, his overbearing aura of pure power giving fair warning to even the weakest apprentice to get out of their way. Whispers followed them and Jaesa fought down the urge to scratch her jaw nervously as if the low words tickled her ears. Khryden had given her a few words of warning and reassurance about the Academy, seeing as she ranked above every student and overseer there as well as quite a few lords with her status as the Wrath’s apprentice, but he did caution her that a few of them might know her and her history and be opposed to her presence in the Academy. With that on her mind, she narrowed her eyes and raised her chin confidently, biting back her increasing nerves and resisting the temptation to eye the decorations. She needed to look and feel like she belonged. _Besides_ , she thought as a small smirk slipped across her lips _, I could probably kill anyone who dares to speak aloud._

Khryden led the way up one set of stairs, then into an elevator shaft where he turned to them as soon as the elevator started moving. His face was set and his eyes were dark with the seriousness of the situation.

“Because you have not been specifically summoned by the Dark Council, Pierce and Broonmark will have to wait outside the Council’s chamber. Jaesa, you will accompany me inside, but you will not be allowed to intervene _no matter what happens_.” He crossed his arms. “Understand? You do not want to mess with these Sith. In that chamber, whatever they say, goes. Though I’ve heard they’re fairly reasonable, watch your tongue.” His gaze swiveled to Pierce and Broonmark. “That goes for you, too. Though they don’t speak, the Imperial guards still have ears. And if things go to hell, whatever you say can and will be used against you.”

Flicking his gaze between the three humanoids in front of him, he set his jaw. Jaesa frowned slightly as she saw it happen. Whatever he wanted to say next, he wasn’t comfortable with it. “If I die,” he continued, “one of two things will happen. Either you will be executed or you will be recruited into another lord’s service. I hope for all of your sakes that it’s the latter.”

“And if you live?” Her voice echoed uncomfortably up the elevator shaft.

He gave a sharp negating shake of his head. “Then we have nothing to worry about. I only seek to prepare you for instances where I cannot protect you from the parasitic tendencies of other Sith lords.”

In the moment of silence that followed, Pierce stepped forward, throwing an informal salute. “If I may, my lord, it’s been an honor. Beat the old man’s ass.”

Broonmark followed suit, roaring something about honor for the Sith clan, according to what Jaesa could translate.

Though a smile was the furthest thing from her mind right now, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of confidence from their shows of loyalty. They weren’t alone in this fight. She locked eyes with him and in a split second, felt an intense flare of passion burn across their bond. But instead of drowning in it like she would have a few months or even a few weeks ago, she drank it in and rode the top of the wave as it crested in her chest. Her intense pride and confidence shone from her eyes and just for a moment, everything fell away around them until they were the only two in her world.

 _You can do this_ , she whispered fiercely. _You cannot lose_.

His irises flared red. _I will not give in. He has made us suffer for the last time. Today is the first day of our freedom. I swear it._

\--=+=--

Vowrawn greeted them at the door with a smile, but his posture was stiff and his manner, grave. As per the previously had discussion, Pierce and Broonmark waited outside with the Imperial guardsmen while Khryden followed Vowrawn and Jaesa followed Khryden. The procession entered the Dark Council’s chamber as a familiar voice echoed throughout the space. Jaesa didn’t need to poke her head around Khryden’s bulk to see who was regaling the Dark Council with lies. A shiver of hostility jittered down her spine and she stepped to the side near the wall, allowing the Wrath and the Dark Councilor to move towards the center of the room. As much as she wanted to be Baras’ murderer, Khryden had more than earned that right. He had been forced to deal with the bastard a lot longer than she had and had a lot more to pay him back for.

Ironically, without Baras’ interference, Jaesa wouldn’t be in the position she was now. The thought popped into her brain and she nearly giggled nastily to herself. She should really thank him. With a lightsaber to the face.

Baras paused in his pacing as he heard footsteps echo behind him and his voice came filtering out of his mask mechanically. “That had better be Darth Vowrawn coming through those doors.”

The named Dark Councilor nodded respectfully to Khryden and dropped a covert wink at Jaesa before striding silently to his chair. Khryden acknowledged the passing of the torch with a curt nod, his gaze never straying

“Today your reign ends, Baras. At least accept it with dignity.”

Sitting regally on the center throne, Darth Marr barely reacted to this new and surprising turn of events. He tipped his head ever so slightly, merely replying, “Interesting.”

 _Darth Marr_ , Jaesa thought. _Unknown species, believed to be Human. Unofficial leader of the Dark Council since Malgus’ death, one of the three oldest members. Head of the Sphere of Defense of the Empire. Reported to be as unemotional and professional as a stone wall, but exceedingly powerful_. From her studies on the various Dark Councilors last night, Jaesa knew all of them by heart, including her target. Another Darth, one she recognized as Ravage— _cyborg, head of the Sphere of Expansion and Diplomacy, temperamental and untrusting but not someone to idly mess with_ —rolled his eyes. “This isn't the time for one of your games, Vowrawn.”

 _Here we go_ , Khryden murmured to her across their bond. He immediately took control of the room, exuding presence and confidence as he straightened and looked to Ravage coolly. “I am the Emperor’s Wrath. Chosen by the supreme master himself. I know his will. And Baras is not the Voice.”

The chamber went dead silent at this declaration. Though Jaesa couldn’t see his face, she knew Khryden’s jaw was set and could envision the resolute expression. _No backing down_. The thought flitted through her head. _No way out_. They were in this for good, now. For better or for worse. There was nothing more she could hope for. They had said all they needed to say last night and until the conclusion to this confrontation arrived, they had nothing more to tell each other besides reassurances.

Unconcerned, Vowrawn moseyed to his seat and slowly turned. The tension in the room was palpable, but the older Pureblood didn’t seem to mind. His slanted eyes narrowed slightly. “Listen to truth, my fellows. You are the victims of a ruthless and deceitful power grab.”

“Vowrawn, for whatever reason—greed, jealously—you’ve refused to accept reality.” Baras shook his head as if scolding a stubborn child. “This is a desperate attempt. Hear me, Dark Council. This child is not the Emperor’s Wrath—he is Vowrawn’s illusion. The Emperor will inform me what is to be done with Vowrawn. For now, assist me in destroying this rabble.”

 _Child?_ Khryden murmured to her _. He must be getting desperate if he thinks names will hurt me at this point_. Outwardly, the Wrath scoffed, his lips twisting into a derisive snarl. “Don’t hide behind the Council, coward.” Turning his gaze to the gathered Councilors, he took a few steps forward until he was level with Baras and offered an open palm and an unwavering countenance. “If Baras is true and I false, he should be able to defeat me himself. Make him prove what he says.” His head whipped to the side, casting a steady glare at his former master and his voice lowered. “Face me yourself, if you dare.”

With the presence of Baras’ ever-present mask, there was no way to judge facial expressions. However, the Sith’s anger came out loud and clear the moment he spoke. “Please,” he sneered, “you need only judge by who stands with this cretin…”

Jaesa nearly giggled at that one as Khryden’s sigh sounded in her head. _Cretin now? When is he going to update his list of insults?_

Ravage looked like he ate something sour. He waved a languid hand. “Fine. Swat this gnat quickly so we can continue our business.”

“No.”

The singular word rang in the spacious chamber, reverberating off the walls. All eyes zipped to the intimidating form of Darth Marr as he rose out of his seat. Ravage frowned. The unofficial head of the Dark Council exuded authority as he singlehandedly struck down other Darth’s allowance.

“Baras claims to be the Voice, this lord claims to be the Wrath. I will not provoke the Emperor.” Marr seemed to rest his heavy gaze solely on Khryden and though Jaesa clearly felt his discomfort, her lover didn’t outwardly flinch and pride swelled in her chest. “The one who lives speaks truth.”

If he would have shown them, Jaesa had no doubt that Baras had rolled his eyes sky high. As it was, the Sith let out a longsuffering sigh. “Fine. The master will grant the slave’s last wish. The Emperor calls for your death. Attack me if you dare.”

The moment the word _slave_ left Baras’ mouth, Jaesa’s eyes widened at the intense wave of fury swamping her synapses. She lost her breath for a moment, swallowing on a dry throat several times in an attempt to get it back. Shaking her head roughly, she gritted her teeth, eyes burning into the back of Khryden’s head. Their connection never faltered, but strengthened instead. She felt the pulse of his heart within her own and their desire for retribution mingled, becoming one.

 _Make that bastard pay_ , she growled, feeding his resolve with her own passion.

Khryden’s intensely low voice rippled with underlying rage. He bit off each word vehemently as it crossed his lips, injecting every syllable with poison. “I was never, nor shall I ever be, your slave.”

“Oh,” Baras jeered. “I think I hit a nerve. What’s—”

The Wrath struck.

Lightsabers snapped out with startling speed and twin fiery orange blades clashed with a singular red. Plasma hissed and sparked as the streams collided, letting off a thin trail of smoke that faded almost as soon as it entered the tense atmosphere. With a snarl they broke away, the former master and apprentice circling the other cautiously. Baras hadn’t obtained the title of Darth and the reputation for being a merciless psychopath for nothing, Khryden knew that. And despite all his time spent under the man, the Wrath had never once seen him battle. Dedicated to the sorcerer discipline, Baras’ Force powers were amazing. However, it was anyone’s guess as to whether his lightsaber skills matched up. On the other side, Baras had taken Khryden straight from the Academy. Though his direct supervision had been loose, the Darth knew how talented his former apprentice was with his lightsabers. And two of them meant double the trouble. But he had also kept detailed tabs on Khyrden during the apprenticeship. He knew exactly how his former apprentice fought. How much could have changed since Baras had tried to kill him on Quesh? And now they fought for things bigger than themselves, ranging from dedication and the underlying threat of death, to desire for personal gain.

The Darth and the Wrath clashed again, this time continuously. As with the other one-on-one duels she had watched Khryden participate in, Jaesa easily recognized the pulled punches as opportunities were missed and slight falters remained unexploited. They were testing each other, neither one of them willing to give the other too much information about their true talents just yet. Baras fought remarkably like his deceased sister with his blade in one hand and Force lightning in the other. But where Darth Ekkage had excelled in the speed and timing of her reactions, Darth Baras depended on power. So when he hit, he hit hard.

Missing a block, Khryden gasped in surprise and pain as Baras’ lightsaber grazed his side, bouncing off the cortosis weave of his armor but leaving a painful bruise in its wake. He twisted, angling his right saber to catch the quickly cast stream of lightning while jabbing his left in a thrust aiming for Baras’ thick torso. So absorbed was she in the deep connection they were maintaining, that the sudden sharp pain caught her off guard. But instead of dropping the bond and leaving Khryden to fight on his own, Jaesa persevered, opening up fully to the bond and letting her lover’s passion wash over her. The emotions were so sharp and familiar, and she embraced them completely. Her eyes drifted shut, but she didn’t lose her sight. Suddenly, she was there in the thick of it, her emotions feeding his and vice versa until she couldn’t differentiate between the two. _She became aware of the discomfort of a bruise on her side, but there was something more important on her mind. Her eyes jerked open and she ducked, a red saber whistling by her ear. She didn’t bother with thinking, only reacting, and swiftly retaliated with a dual sweep. Two fiery blades arced upwards and—wait a second…!_

_She balked, and Baras saw it, swooping in for the kill. She flinched internally, but there seemed to be another controlling her movements and she felt her body dodge backwards, just out of range._

Don’t distract me _. Khryden’s voice echoed in her skull, almost as if he were right next to her within her head._

_She pressed her lips together, furious with herself. This was not the time to poke around. Her fury expounded but was all too quickly sucked up by the body she was inhabiting. This body wasn’t hers. It was Khryden’s. It made sense, in a way. They were so closely connected by the strength of their Force bond, why shouldn’t they be able to combine their minds inside one body?_

Yes! More! _There it was again, Khryden’s overly loud voice. Could he actually feed off of her emotions while they were synced like this?_

_Only one way to find out._

_She balled up her anger and rage at Baras, at the Council, at herself, and let it be absorbed by the more dominant presence. Fresh energy poured into her tired limbs and a quick riposte allowed one of her lightsabers to score a hit. Baras’ robe tore and bright red blood spilled from the wound on his side, forcing him to stumble back. She paused, lightsabers held at her sides and at the ready as her former master let loose a slightly crazed chuckle. To her utter surprise, he reached up and unclasped his mask from his head, letting it fall to the ground with a clatter. The old man’s face was a corpse-like mess. Long exposure to the dark side had sucked all life from his skin and permanent deep purple bruises surrounded each eye. The dark corruption webbed his face with black tendrils, accentuating the wrinkles that decorated his mouth and eyes._

_Baras cackled scornfully, then without warning, threw up both of his hands and sent twin streams of Force lightning at her. Khryden’s dominant presence reacted swiftly, bringing up a shield of crossed blades and catching the lightning at the junction. Unbelievable pressure jolted through the overlapped sabers and into her wrists and forearms, all the way up to her shoulders. Holding back the deadly stream of sparks required raw strength and concentration, and she lent what she could to her host. Vaguely, she felt energy leave her own true body, but she refused to give in. She could recover, with time. Khryden needed her strength more than she did right now._

_An insane light entered Baras eyes—or had it been there all along?—and the Sith grinned evilly, his voice mocking. “Had enough, child? Can you feel your grip on life slipping? Why persist in this futile gesture of vengeance? Let go. Embrace your death.”_

_Repulsion and anger flared, coming from their joined hearts. The words flowed smoothly from their combined lips, doused in just the right amount of annoyance and conviction. “Forget the bravado, Baras. No one’s buying it.”_

_The Darth wheezed a laugh, but refused to relent his lightning attack. “Just being sporting. I would think you’d appreciate the chance to catch your breath.” Keeping focused on the stalemate before him, Baras called out loudly, directing his next words across the chamber. “Your champion is failing, Vowrawn. And you’ll be next.”_

_Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Vowrawn fake a yawn. “Is that coming from you or from the Emperor, Baras? It’s hard to tell the difference.”_

_Rage flared in her opponent’s eyes and the stream of lightning flickered a moment before resuming full force. “Don’t mock me, fop!” Livid black eyes returned to hers. “Your patron just ensured your suffering will be epic, youngster! Now die.”_

_Taking a moment to gather what strength remained, she felt his decision the moment it was made. “If this is the end for me, I’m taking you with me.”_

_With a grunt of effort and her shoulder muscles screaming under the strain, she powered through and pushed outwards, blades slicing the stream of lightning and reflecting the array of sparks back to its user. The lightning wrapped Baras’ body, sparking painfully and prompting him to reel backwards with shuddering steps. Taking the opportunity, she leapt forward, buffeted by the Force and slammed her feet into the ground. Shockwaves from the impact rippled outwards, effectively delaying Baras’ recovery. Darting forward, she swept her twin blades in opposite directions, forcing Baras the flounder as he gave up more ground in an attempt to avoid the slashing sabers. The Darth tried to summon more lightning, but his palm merely sparked and through the pain from bruises, wounds, and electrified muscles alike, a rush of satisfaction flowed through her._

_Baras snarled, his face twisting with displeasure and took advantage of the momentary hesitation to try again. Lightning spewed from his hands this time and she scrambled to defend. The whip of sparks curled around her left arm and pain—_ such unbelievable agony _—coursed through her. Her left arm seized and froze, unable to move the lightsaber held in paralyzed fingers. With a yell, she brought her right saber across in a powerful diagonal strike to sever the lightning whip and release her other weapon. Residual shocks traveled up and down her arm, causing her muscles to twitch and spasm at irregular intervals._

Speed _, she whispered._ You’re faster than he is. Use it!

I need more… _The words prompted a shiver down her spine and she nodded mentally._

Then you shall have it.

_Simultaneously, they reached deeper within themselves. She drew dark power from her weakening body and absorbed it into her temporary one. He seemed unsatisfied, though, and delved into his own core, splitting it open and allowing the rush of pure dark side energy to take them both by storm. She felt the vaguely familiar rush of power, its sudden appearance and intensity making her lightheaded. Refusing to let it daunt her, she rushed into it head-on and thrust her will upon the rebellious energy. Every moment it tried to consume her whole, but therein lay its power. That was the power of the dark side and how its users walked the fine line between strength and insanity. While she was strong enough to resist, she was strong enough to utilize its vengeful might. The bolt of fresh energy reinvigorated her and she felt a chilling smile curve her lips. As devastating as Baras was proving to be, she had the advantage. So she thought._

_That changed in a moment when Baras’ eyes glowed red and he raised his hands to the ceiling, cackling loudly as his connection to the dark side boosted his already formidable Force capabilities. This fight was about to go from bad to worse._

_It devolved into a battle of desperation. Both sides leaned heavily on dark power, but she quickly saw that Baras had the advantage through raw strength. However dedicated to the darkness Khryden was, Baras would always outstrip him due to the simple and infuriating fact that he had been studying longer and was physically more imposing. As lightsabers and lightning clashed with increasing frequency and force, she felt herself weakening as if her life force was being drained. But which body was suffering? Hers or the one she inhabited? Fear filtered into her consciousness, prompting a lack of zeal in her next blows. She disengaged, drawing deep gasping breaths and blinking rapidly. Baras’ power boost was making this fight rapidly spiral out of control and their combined strength wasn’t the answer._

Jaesa, you need to leave. Go back to your own body.

 _It took her a moment to process._ What? Why? We’re stronger together _._

I have a plan _. His voice was hesitant, and gave her pause._

…I’m not going to like it, am I?

 _The hint of a smile shone through his mental voice._ When have you liked any of my plans?

 _She muttered a curse._ Tell me _._

I have two goals: to kill Baras, obviously, but also to prove my strength to the Dark Council. Killing a Darth, especially my former master will help, but I need something more. Do you remember Belsavis?

Disgustingly beautiful prison planet. I remember. _Images of Belsavis’ wildlife and foliage flickered through her mind._

What about my fight against Darth Ekkage?

 _She thought for a moment, tracing the memories._ When you became the dark side?

A manifestation _, he corrected automatically. Listen, I’m going to repeat that process. I’m sure it will give me the edge to obliterate Baras._

But?

It—I need to have full concentration.

Khryden, there’s something you’re not telling me…

 _His voice was quiet_. Please. I can’t handle focusing and blocking you out at the same time.

 _She mentally rolled her eyes._ Fine. But if this spirals out of control…I’m not going to be happy _._

 _Focusing, she slowly withdrew, allowing Khryden to get used to the decreased power as the fight continued. She slipped to the edges of his consciousness, retracting her strength and added awareness, letting her mind flow back into her own body…_ She came back with a snap and nearly collapsed due to the flood of weakness that swamped her body. She gasped, doubling over and stumbling backwards to press up against the wall, trying to draw strength from its solidity. Sweat broke out on her brow and she swiped at it with a clammy hand. Swallowing on a throat drier than Tatooine, her wide eyes shifted to the fight in the center of the chamber, which luckily attracted all eyes away from her. Taking a brief moment to close her eyes and steady herself, she pushed off the wall with her eyes locked on the confrontation.

“Last chance to back down.” Khryden’s voice was just loud enough to reach every ear in the room.

In response, Baras merely laughed, plainly feeling like he had the advantage. And he did, for the moment.

She sensed the change before she saw it. It pulled at her core where she anchored her connection to the dark side and one by one, confusion took over the face of every Dark Council member. They all felt it. But the question was, would they see it?

Baras spread his hands to summon another gout of lightning, but his sparks failed a second time and the Darth gaped at his hands. “No…My powers abandon me!”

Jaesa knew what to look for this time around and watched as Khryden’s body grew rigid. The darkness inside of her _screamed_ and thrashed about, trying to free itself from the iron control she wielded over it. _Not this time_ , she thought with gritted teeth. _I’m not going insane_. Reinforcing her grip, she refocused on her lover. His aura transformed from bright crimson into a thickly swirling sludge of black and dark red and the oppressive feeling heightened until it was almost too much to bear. All around the room there were varying degrees of fascination and repulsion from the Councilors as their actions ranged from mere facial expressions to physically leaning forward in their seats with hungry expressions on their face.

His voice had turned silky and idly dangerous. “Drink in the faces of your fellows. See your disgrace reflected in their awed eyes.”

Baras stumbled backwards, panic tinging his commanding tone. “Gah! I call upon the Dark Council to kill this fool! Now! The Emperor commands it!”

Khryden loosed a low chuckle, so unlike him as Baras spun to the gathered Dark Councilors. “Darth Marr, strike on the Emperor’s behalf! Or suffer his disfavor!”

The imposing figure seated on the center throne barely moved. “I believe I’ll take my chances.”

In full panic mode now, Baras swung to Darth Ravage. “Ravage! Have your senses left you as well? Defend me! Defend the Voice!”

Ravage cast a slightly fearful glace at Khryden, swirling aura, pitch black eyes, and all. He shook his head sharply, disturbed by the sight before him. “I will not stand in the path of the Emperor’s Wrath.”

The draw was almost too much, but Jaesa found it much easier to tolerate the second time around. Grasping her left arm with a fist as they talked, she dug her fingernails as deep as she could into her skin, swearing under her breath as the burst of pain helped clear her head. Something about whatever was happening gave her a twisting sensation. She had the feeling that she wouldn’t get a better time make her quick sweep of the hall and she needed to concentrate to summon her special power. _Get it done_ , she chanted to herself as she half-closed her eyes and sent out her power. It turned out to be a lot harder than she thought. Being in a room with some of the most powerful Sith in the galaxy wreaked havoc on her meditation and she was forced to stop and star again several times as her frustration mounted. The uneasy feeling was growing inside of her as if a countdown was already in the works. She was running out of time, and Jaesa was positive the feeling didn’t just concern the job the Hand had given her.

There! Fixating on Darth Thanaton, she clenched her jaw and forced herself to concentrate amidst the pull of the dark side and her own trepidation, stripping what information she could without tripping his mental alarms and tucking away names and places into a corner of her brain. Withdrawing just in time, she opened her eyes to witness the Emperor’s Wrath calmly place the unlit hilt of his main lightsaber against his former master’s torso. Khryden cocked his head eerily as he stared into the traitor’s eyes with a creepy smile on his face and abruptly activated the switch. The blade stabbed through the traitor’s gut and cut through to the other side, ripping the life from Baras.

The last thing Darth Baras saw were the solid black eyes of his apprentice staring at him with uncurbed excitement as a crazed smile split his face.

Exhilaration beating back her apprehension, Jaesa immediately touched their Force bond, eager to congratulate Khryden, but recoiled with shock as her eagerness faded and fear swiftly took its place. The darkness was eating him alive. It was slowly consuming him as his body stood stock still in the center of the chamber and _Force be damned, she wasn’t going to take this lying down!_

Her teeth clenched together as she forced the growled words out between them. “Absolutely not. I will _not_ stand for this. After all this time, something finally goes right for us and you want to take him away from me? Not if I have anything to say about it!”

Knowing her body was on the brink of complete collapse, Jaesa sank to the floor with her back pressed up against the wall and placed her fingers to her temples. The position helped quicken her initial contact with the writhing mess of dark side energy contained in her fiancé’s body and opened a gateway to begin the battle. Holding onto their bond like a lifeline, she fought through mucky substances, trying to find where the darkness had locked him away. Time slowed to a halt as she delved deeper and deeper using her passion, her love, to fend off the threat of insanity. She needed to locate his core—that was probably where his mind was holed up. Did he know this was going to happen? Was that why he asked her to leave? A low sound of annoyance slid between her teeth. That idiot. Risking his life, and for what? To show these Councilors true power? To prove true his claim to be the Emperor’s Wrath? Doubt wrapped her mind, only held at bay by a weakening wall of optimism. What if she couldn’t save him? Could she honestly live without him by her side?

Wriggling through the pure darkness that swamped his aura, soul, and body, Jaesa felt herself near her Force bonded partner. The bond led her straight towards where the only sane part was left in his mind and she seized the opportunity.

 _Khryden!_ She called loudly through the bond. _Can you hear me?_

A few long seconds passed, then a low murmur reached her. Hopefulness flared in her chest. He wasn’t too far gone. He was still in there! Her faith that he had found somewhere to preserve his sanity wasn’t unfounded. She could do this. She could bring him back. She had to.

Extending her reach as far as it could go, she felt the tip brush against a familiar presence. Jolted by a spark, she recoiled, but pushed on. She was so close.

 _Jaesa?_ The weak voice reached her, begging for her to help. _I can’t…I can’t see. Everything’s dark. I can’t think._

Her throat seized up. _Khryden?_

_The pressure. It’s too much, I can’t hold it off much longer. Help me, Jaesa! I’m drowning!_

Panic clawed up her chest. _Khryden! Hold on, just a little bit longer! I’m coming!_

Thrashing with reckless abandon, the mental clock countdown in her head seemed so much more real as it ticked relentlessly. She struggled to reach out to him, straining to cover the distance, but she was inches away.

_Khryden, I need you to reach as far as you can towards me._

His mental voice was the epitome of terror. _I’ll try, but it’s coming! It’s right behind me!_

She shook her head as she attempted to calm her voice for both of their sakes. _I know, but I can’t do this alone. We have to do this together, ok?_

_Hurry, I…I don’t want to go insane._

She pushed as hard as she could, her mind pulsing with the effort and flung out a mental hand _. Reach for me!_

Jaesa felt his response through the bond as he strained upwards with his own abstract hand. Just below him writhed the pit of madness that refused to let him go without a fight. She struggled to make contact, their fingertips brushing each other tantalizingly but unable to fully grip. Fortifying herself, Jaesa made a split second decision and lunged for him, barely reaching enough to clutch his consciousness like a lifeline _. Yes!_ A thrill of pleasure rippled through her. She began to pull him up only to be stopped dead by a thread of pure dark power wrapped around Khryden’s other half. Fear flitted through her and she strove to hoist his consciousness up and away from the threat of insanity below. Heaving as hard as she could, she tried to tighten her grip and…slipped.

 _No!_ She screamed as Khryden’s last defenses fell away and he was consumed by the twisting pit madness.

He fought it still, she could feel it through their bond. Even though the darkness was infinitely stronger, he still didn’t give up.

And neither could she.

Letting loose a war cry, she plunged into the pit herself. Life without her soulmate was no life at all. She had plans for them, most notable being her Force-damned _wedding_. There was no way in _hell_ she was going to let some slimy tentacles take that away from her. Her passion burned brightly, sending seeking tendrils to hide in the shadows as she pursued her fiancé’s sanity with a vengeance. Woe to anything that got in her way as Jaesa rampaged. Lashing out, she finally felt their bond flare, letting her know that he was close. This time she would not take no for an answer. Gripping his consciousness, she dug in her heels and stopped the writhing darkness in its tracks.

Who was this invader, the darkness wondered, that refused to let it consume one who had succumbed to madness?

Jaesa gritted her teeth, straining backwards against the pull of lunacy _. My name is Jaesa Willsaam_ , she hissed _. I was born a servant before the Jedi took me. Then I was freed from such a miserable existence by the same man you are trying to eat. He saved me, gave me a place by his side, and believed in me. Though he is not without flaws, neither am I, and we love and trust each other despite that. I know our faith in each other is stronger than anything we might come across. Stronger than you, stronger than anybody. I love him and you are NOT TAKING HIM AWAY FROM ME!_

A glint of something caught her eye and abruptly the resistance holding them down failed. Shooting back towards the surface and towards consciousness, she glimpsed the swirling void of insanity slowly being brought under control as Khryden’s mind began quick damage control.

 _Thank you_ , he whispered, sounding like himself once again. _I knew you’d be there for me._

She smiled, relief flowing through every inch of her consciousness until his words clicked and the grin slipped away. _Wait, you knew—?_

He swiftly cut her off. _What’s important is that we made it._ Pausing, he grimaced, as if debating with himself. _Ah, we can talk more outside the Academy. I still hate this planet._

Feeling that she wouldn’t get any more out of him right this second, she haughtily nodded. _Better. But I expect a damn good explanation._

Breaking the connection, Jaesa slid back into her own awareness. Time snapped back to its normal pace and she opened her eyes just in time to see Baras’ body slump to the ground. A stronger wave of weakness swamped her and she nearly keeled over even slumped against the wall as she was, but she managed to support herself with shaking arms. Forcing her limbs to move, she pushed herself up off the ground and leaned heavily against the wall, watching her lover stand victoriously over his dead master. He cast a side glance at her, as if to say _we actually did it_ , and she sighed with relief when she saw his beautiful golden eyes clear of madness.

The silence was abruptly broken by the sound of clapping. Vowrawn grinned as he leaned forward in his seat. “Finally, the end of Baras. The air clears, and my lungs breathe deeply again.”

A woman, who Jaesa recognized as Darth Acina, rolled her eyes. “You and me both, Vowrawn. That windbag was getting a little out of control.”

From his position along the outer edge, Thanaton finally broke his silence. “Have you no respect for tradition, Acina? The least you could do would be to not insult a fallen Darth.”

“Right.” The woman gave a longsuffering sigh. “This again. The Empire needs to change and adapt and bringing in new blood is a way to do it. Thanaton, I’m sure even your apprentice—what was her name…Lord Zash?—would disagree with you. Force, Zash even just took a former slave as her new apprentice. Times are changing, Thanaton, and if you don’t change with them, you could be next.” She glanced pointedly at Baras’ corpse on the floor, the threat in her voice apparent.

Thananton’s face twisted into a scowl and he opened his mouth to retaliate, but Marr held up his hand the bickering Darths fell silent. “Enough. Save your childish antics for outside the chamber. For now, we have something more important to do.”

Marr stood, his mountainous figure casting a long shadow on the floor as he faced Khryden. “You have proven that you are truly touched by the Emperor. The Dark Council knows that the Emperor’s Wrath has free reign. You are acknowledged, Wrath. Your actions will not be challenged as long as they do not contradict our own.”

“You are answerable only to our ultimate master,” Vowrawn chimed in.

Khryden dipped his head in acceptance, shooting a candid glance at both Thanaton and Acina as he carefully chose his words. “Change _is_ on the horizon, whether we want it or not. How we respond will determine the fate of our Empire. I will work alongside the Dark Council to prepare for coming events.”

Vowrawn smiled slightly. ”Then our power has heightened.”

Marr seemed to shake his head slightly at the gleeful Darth before straightening once again and letting his voice fill the chamber. “Let the enemies of the Empire tremble. The Emperor’s Wrath shall consume them all!”

One by one, the gathered Councilors rose from their chairs and bowed to Khryden. Even Marr nodded his head as their eyes locked beneath his mask and shivers slid down Jaesa’s spine. They had done it. Baras was defeated and Khryden wasn’t only acknowledged by the Council, but also had them in line. It was an amazing feeling to be witness to such a display of authority and she couldn’t stop the grin that split her face as she bowed deeply as well. 

Turning, the Emperor’s Wrath strode out of the chamber with his apprentice trailing behind him.

\--=+=--

“You KNEW what was going to happen!”

Peeking out from around a doorway, Vette watched as Jaesa angrily paced in front of the Wrath as he leaned against the holoterminal, arms folded. They had made a quick escape regardless of the outcome of the fight, luckily with her lord and Jaesa alive and on board. Vette had nearly cried with relief, although she made sure no one was around to notice, when she saw the group of four return to the docking bay. Though she’d never admit it out loud, she had actually felt worried about her lord’s safety when they left and had busied herself by throwing her heart and soul into working on the assignment he had given her a little while ago. Though some progress had been made, it was nowhere near what she had expected and she was getting frustrated. Vette knew she was close and used that feeling to cover up her uneasiness. Now they were back and Jaesa had wasted no time before cornering her lord in the communications room. Raised voices echoed throughout the ship, but no crew member was dumb enough to step foot inside that room.

But Vette, drama-hungry as she was, leaned casually against the wall in one of the hallways, listening to the argument. Though she couldn’t for the life of figure out what it was about, she gathered that something had happened during the meeting with the Dark Council. Something had pissed Jaesa off, but her lord was decidedly ok with it. Now if that didn’t spark Vette’s curiosity, she didn’t know what would.

“Why didn’t you tell me?!”

“It worked, didn’t it?” Formerly abrasive, Khryden’s voice suddenly softened. “It was…a theory. Unfounded until now. And I didn’t want you to suffer needlessly, Jaesa. The transformation is never without agony. And I’ve never attempted it two times so close together. I didn’t know what would happen, which is why I’m glad you were there.”

Jaesa huffed, her anger dying and being replaced with weariness. “I am too. Do you know what went through my head when you nearly went insane? I could have _lost_ you.”

Her last few words muffled and a quick glance around the corner revealed the two embracing Sith. Vette sighed softly. For as big and mean as her lord could be sometimes—ahem, _most_ of the time—he really softened up where Jaesa was involved.

“But you didn’t,” her lord was saying. “Because you were amazing and I owe you my life.”

Jaesa relaxed into his arms with a weary sigh. “You owe me a lot more than that.”

“True.” Vette could hear the suggestive smirk in her lord’s voice. “Why don’t I start paying you back now?”

Vette clapped a hand over her mouth as Jaesa giggled girlishly. The Twi’lek _so_ didn’t want to hear this. The sound of kissing was abruptly interrupted, however, by the ship’s holocom ringing obnoxiously. Lord Khryden broke off with a muttered curse and Jaesa exclaimed, “Again?!” as if this happened all too frequently.

Vette, for her part, sagged with relief and used the ringing as cover to make her silent escape.

\--=+=--

The party was, predictably, all Vowrawn’s idea, and he quickly persuaded Jaesa to assist. _Call it an early wedding present_ , the Darth had urged. Though Khryden protested, even the Emperor’s Wrath could not stave off both the incorrigible Dark Council member and his future wife at the same time. Together, Vowrawn and Jaesa were a force of nature, planning and organizing the party with vigor despite everything else that demanded their attention. Khryden just rolled his eyes and sarcastically vowed never to let them within speaking distance of each other again. Jaesa just giggled at that, pecking his cheek and promising that it would all be worth it.

It was a lavish affair, with everyone from high ranking Sith to the crew in attendance. Delectable food crowded numerous tables, the dance floor was livelier than a Hutt’s pleasure barge, and everyone was plainly having a good time. Jaesa couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride and accomplishment as the guests enjoyed her and Vowrawn’s work. Her smile suddenly morphed into a frown as she suddenly realized what was wrong.

Vette was absent.

Normally, Jaesa wouldn’t worry, but Khryden had made a point to tell all the crew members to be there. In his words: “If I have to suffer, then so do you.” Besides that, it had been made clear to the guests that the crew, especially Vette, were to remain unbothered. Noticing Vette’s absence sparked curiosity and worry and Jaesa immediately started looking around for Khryden amidst the crowds of guests. She spotted him walking with a purpose out one of the doors on the side and she trailed behind him, keeping a good distance as he ducked into one of the side rooms. Hovering just outside the door, she was surprised to see Vette dressed in normal clothes instead of formal wear and discreetly gestured Khryden over.

The Wrath approached silently, half closing the door behind him. “What is it, Vette?”

The blue Twi'lek twisted her hands. Her aura screamed nerves and uncertainty from where Jaesa hovered a few meters away at the door, just within hearing range while simultaneously watching out for hostile ears.

Khryden frowned slightly, concern trickling into his expression. “Vette?”

The former slave clapped her hands together and smiled, the expression forced and unnatural. “Well, my lord, regarding that mission you gave me a while ago? Concerning my, uh, slicing and holonet skills? And your family? I've...got good news and bad news.”

The Wrath glared at her, his brow furrowed further. “Vette.”

“Ok, ok.” She held up her palms defensively. “Good news is I found one of your brothers.” She paused, chewing her lip anxiously. “Or rather, he found me.”

Jaesa felt the brief flash of surprise from Khryden, but his face didn’t change. After a quick glance around to make sure no one of importance was within hearing range, he merely gestured for her to go on.

“Bad news?” Vette grimaced. “He's a Jedi.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Well, time to revel a secret: this was supposed to be a oneshot that consisted of the first chapter only. But I guess it kinda got away from me? Oops? That’s why when you look back on part 1 the writing style is a little more barebones and less in sync with the rest of the story’s style, but I'm going to go back and edit it.  
> I learned a lot of things writing this, but first and foremost is that I don’t like deadlines, and neither do I like feeling like I’m letting you all down when I’m in a rut and it’s been weeks since the last update. So to fix that, I’m going to try something different and write the entire piece before I post anything. That was my original intention when I posted the first bit of Jaesa’s Awakening, but I want to try it for real this time. So my account might be silent for a while as I choose, plan, and write my next piece as well as focus on a few others I’ve been delaying in favor of this one.
> 
> Thank you to everyone that commented/gave kudos/read loyally, you are the best!


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